Watch Me
by hunter-strain13
Summary: Stop me if you have heard this one. A mutant and a young woman meet in the mines...
1. Bull

**Hey all! New fanfic time! I can't guarantee that this is gonna be any good, but I am so inspired to write for this fandom. So, this is going to be a story for my favorite Hills Have Eyes character, Stabber. There will be some Chameleon/Missy (for you Berry's Ambitions) and some Amber/Letch in here. First chapter is rated T for some non-descriptive rape, violence and cursing. **

**Here we go!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the Hills Have Eyes. Wes Craven does. I own any OC that may show up in these stories. Thank you.**

_The screams had picked up again late that night, the pained filled sounds reaching even the deepest parts of the mines. It was not a sound that was unusual in the tunnels, so none of the mutants reacted to it. Most just completely ignored it, while others let their minds wander as to what could be causing such glorious and agonized shrieks. Deep down, they all knew what the cause was and, deep down, they all knew better than to interrupt._

Chapter One- Bull

Pain was the only thing my mind was registering now. I wasn't even aware of the shrill cries that were ripping from my throat or of the mountain of a man- no, monster- behind me. I couldn't recall how long I had been there, broken and bleeding, bent over a table like a whore. The taste of blood had become ever present in my mouth and I almost relished it, letting it become an anchor and losing myself to it. I rolled my tongue around in my mouth, collecting a pool of the coppery stuff and spit it out in front of my own face.

The rocking motion the monster had been keeping became faster, slamming my already sore ribs into the edge of the table. I screamed, though the sound had become hoarse and almost inaudible. The creature chuckled darkly and grabbed my hair, close to my forehead, and yanked my head back, hard, hard enough to cause something in my neck to pop.

Another new wave of pain licked through my body and I tried to scream again, but I found I had no breath. I was choking, slightly, and panic rose in me and gave me new strength. The idea of freedom suddenly consumed my entire being.

I slammed myself backwards into the monster, using my weight to try and throw him off. For a moment, the movement of his hips stopped, then a bestial snarl shook from him and he was suddenly out of me. I was almost relieved and I didn't bother holding back a sob. His hand left my hair briefly, but then his vice like grip clamped onto my throat, cutting off the intake of air. He turned me towards him, and pulled me close to his face. I gagged as his hot rotten breath blew hard in my eyes and nose. I couldn't see his features very well, but I could make out one thing. The dark deepset eyes, visible in a shaft of light, were filled to the brim with a primal emotion. Anger? Lust? I wasn't sure, but I know that it scared me into submission. My lungs were beginning to burn and spots and sparkles were slipping across my eyes. Then, a harsh gutteral sound left the monster's mouth. I realized, to my horror, that he was speaking.

"Bitch, you do...as you told. I say fuck, we fuck." He shook me as he spoke the last two words. My head snapped back and I heard another crack. I wondered vaguely if he would break my neck. It would be a swell change to my current situation, I decided. Just as I felt myself blacking out, the monster's hand left my throat.

I dropped to the ground and the impact brought back the feeling and thought. I was made aware of every little ache that he had caused me and, although he was no longer choking me, I found it difficult to draw in any air. My ribs were definitely broken; every breath brought about a sharp stabbing throb through my chest. My left knee was sore and my ankle felt twisted. But, the worst pain of them all was in my hips and my nether region. I was sure I was bruised and the shame made me want to curl up into myself until I disappeared.

Then, he grabbed my hair once more. I was terrified, thinking that he would try again and I struggled, raking my nails on his hands. The action only made him angry and he brought his boot down on my shoulder. This time I was sure of the sickening crack and my vision went black. As I fainted, my mind was consumed with the fact that I couldn't feel my arm.

* * *

I slipped in and out of conciousness, but I never opened my eyes. I was afriad that, if I did, I would be forced to acknowledge my reality. So, I stayed still and quiet, hoping that every time I blacked out I would not wake.

At one time, I heard voices. They were near to me, but they were soft and muffled so I could not make out what they were saying. I fought the black out this time, straining to hear the words. Basic thought began to return to me and I noticed that both my arms were bound behind me and I had a rope around my neck. I was on a bed, a rather scratchy one that smelled like something musky and ripe. I swallowed, thinking to try and escape, but then something touched my throat. I froze and tried to fake unconciousness, hoping to be left alone. The thing that was touching me, I assumed was a hand from the feel and warmth of it, was gentle, not demanding or rough like I expected. I felt confused for a moment, but then I assumed the monster was just coping a feel. I stayed still and tried to shut my mind off to it.

The hand prodded at my pulse point, pressing at the bruise that I most likely had there. I felt the hand slip behind my head and lift it slightly. I tried not to wince as the muscles in my neck screamed at the movement. A voice sounded above me, clear enough that I could hear the words.

"Hurt neck, not broken." The voice was male, rough and quiet. The owner of the voice, and most likely the owner of the hand, laid my head down again and didn't touch me for a few seconds. Then, his hands were at my ribs, moving in the same soft movement as before. He lightly touched each of them methodically, pressing down. I felt my own breathing hitch from the agony and the hand withdrew quickly. I inwardly cursed myself, thinking I had given my state of conciousness away, but the voice returned, as did the hand.

"Broken ribs, lungs may be bruised." As he spoke, his voice seemed to waver between loud and quiet, as if he was turning away. 'He must be speaking to someone.' I thought.

Another thought crossed my mind, one that made me nervous. There was more than one person. Did that mean that there was more than one of those...monsters? I felt the last of my hope die out with that idea. The hands had moved on again and now I felt them at my head. The way they glided across my forehead and face made me feel sleepy and before I knew it I was drifting again. I only heard snippets of what the voice was saying. Something about trauma and rest and "...can't take much more...". Then, I heard nothing more.

**Well, that was chapter one! :D I hope it wasn't a complete let down. There will be more on the way. We will find out who the hands belong to and we will find out more about our main character in the next chapter. Please review if you liked it!**


	2. Silence

**Back with chapter 2! Finally! Sorry for the wait...**

**First off, thanks to everyone who reviewed! Dance Elle Dance, Little Pink Neko, and Berry's Ambitions, you gals made me sooo happy with your sweet positive reviews! **

**This chapter is rated T for violence and language. Well, on with it, I guess! Enjoy!**

_A voice is a human gift; it should be cherished and used, to utter fully human speech as possible. Powerlessness and silence go together. _

* * *

I was sharpening my cleaver, slipping the silver edge across a granite wheel and showering sparks all along the ground, when I heard the screams stop. Their absence gave the mines an almost unsettling quiet. I took my foot off the wheel's peddle, cocking my head. I wondered if they would pick up again, like had been for an hour now. Nothing, but my blood pulsing in my ears could be heard for a few moments, then a few mintues. It was over.

I turned back to my wheel, laying the flat of blade against it once more and, rhythmically pressing down on the peddle, continued working. My cleaver had been looking a little dull recently and it was just not doing its job anymore. A dull blade could do nothing to flesh and bone; it could maybe saw through a layer or two, but definitely not what it needed to be doing. The steel-on-granite hissing filled the room and took my mind off of the screaming, or lack thereof. I lost myself in the task, dragging the blade down and over the wheel. The movement was so bred into my muscles that I didn't even have to focus. My mind wandered back to the absent shrieking and I couldn't help but feel curious about the poor girl who they came from.

* * *

I remember the raid well.

Just a day before, Letch had noticed them. The small camp only had 5 people in it: 3 men and 2 women. They were young, happy and carefree, therefore stupid and unaware. Letch had scoped it out earlier that day and I accompanied him that night. We crept up and picked them off one by one. They were too easy. The first two men went down easily, swinging at me with no idea what they were doing. Slit throat and crushed windpipe and they were done. The third man ran like a bitch, leaving the two girls behind. That man, if he could be called that, ran straight to his doom, straight to Letch. His shrieking echoed through the night. The girls, left alone by the campfire, began to panic. One of them, a long-legged thing with a sturdy build, stood up and yelled into the darkness. The words were those of challenge and a grin snuck onto my face. She was brave and breaking the brave ones was the best.

Letch had moved to my side while I watched and took out a long stick from his satchel. I knew it to be a blow gun, one that utilized small darts. Each of the darts had been dipped in a paralyzing poison of his own making. Slipping one of the small green things into one end, he put his mouth to the other. A deep inhale filled his chest and then, with a small snap, he exhaled ever so slightly. In the camp, one of the girls, the one who still knelt shaking on the ground, slapped a hand to her neck as if swatting a fly. Her friend, the brave one, turned her head to look at her. The kneeling girl rubbed at her face and shook her head for a second before falling forward. The brave one screamed and dropped to her knees, lifting the other girl and shaking her, no doubt trying to rouse her. Another snap and she fell as well.

We moved forward quickly, each of us grabbing on of the two girls. Letch grabbed the nervous one while I grabbed the brave one. She was the heftier of the two, but it didn't bother me as I flung her over my shoulder, holding her by her legs. Letch choose to drag his by her feet, not caring as her back and head bounced and bumped against the rocks. We walked maybe 10 feet when Letch's catch started to cough. He stopped and glanced at her, a bored expression on his face. I stopped as well, watching. The coughs ended as she began to choke and wheeze and her whole body began to shake. I recognized the seizure almost instantly and I dropped my girl as I moved to her side. I angrily asked Letch what he had put on the darts as I set one arm against the girl's shoulders and held her head still with my free hand. Letch growled at me and said it was the same as always. I grew frustrated and turned back to the thrashing girl below me. Her choking had gone silent, but I could see her chest convulsing as she tried to breathe. Then, it hit me. She was having an asthma attack. I knew that there was nothing I could do at that point, no way for me to get air into her lungs. I sighed and stood, watching as the girl's shaking started to cease. After another moment, the movement stopped entirely.

I knelt again, to check her pulse, but knew already that I would find none. Standing, I went and picked up the brave one. Letch snarled and threw up his hands, turning and stomping off into the darkness. I followed behind him, knowing full well why he was upset. His father was going to be furious at us.

My train of thought was cut off as one of the little red sparks leapt from my wheel and hit my pant leg, burning through it. It burnt my skin slightly, causing enough pain to be irritating and cause me to drop my cleaver to slap at it. The blade hit the floor with a metallic clang and at the same time, a knock sounded at my door.

The tapping was insistent and quick, just three rapid fire raps on the wood. I looked over my shoulder at the door, which opened although no entrance had been permitted. A bald head poked in and glanced around for a moment before finding me. Chameleon, a younger mutant than I but just as tall, nodded to me before entering all the way into the room. He stood, hunched slightly, and looked at me. His clear blue eyes found mine and I saw an urgency in them. I stood as well, smoothing my hair with one hand.

"Wha' is it, Chameleon?" I asked, curious and a little worried at his sudden appearence. I never saw him, at least not around my area of the mines. He usually stuck to himself and took care of his girl. Our business was never each other's business, so this came as a surprise. The other mutant straightened a little bit before speaking,

"Papa wants you. He's lookin' for ya. Says it's important." His voice was soft and deep and undertoned with a finality that made sure I wouldn't argue. I nodded once. Chameleon bobbed his head in return and waited patiently for me to follow him.

We slipped out the door and jogged down a tunnel that led downwards, deeper into the mines. Chameleon was much more agile than I, moving quickly and without any wasted movement. I kept up without too much trouble and we came to a small burrow lined with doors within minutes. We stopped at the second door, a rickety old thing barely on its hinges. I steeled myself and knocked once. A second passed, then two, then a gruff 'come' reached my ears. I pushed the door open and ducked my head as I entered.

The room was dark, only a single silver shaft of light peeking through a barricaded wall. It slanted across the room and rested on a small cot in the corner of the room. I walked a few steps in, moving cautiously, then I was stopped by a large figure, looming nearby. I knew it was Hades; no one else could have taken up that much space and no one could be THAT intimidating just by standing there. I dropped my gaze to my boots and waited for him to speak. Waiting for Hades to speak was like waiting for thunder to clap. You were never prepared for it.

"Stabber." My name came out more like a curse then a name and I ventured a look at him.

"Yea'?" I answered, unsure, thinking I was in trouble.

"Girl is hurt. May have broken her good. Fix her."

"Alrigh'." I ducked my head as he passed by me, not wanting to get hit for staring. I heard the door slam behind him and then I was alone. Well, with the girl.

I turned back to the cot, assuming that was where she was placed. I walked forward and stopped at the foot of the bed. Now that I was closer, I noticed that there was, in fact, a girl on the bed, barely covered in rags that might have been her clothes at one point. Her stomach, lower ribs, and most of her thighs were exposed and littered with bruises. She was unconscious, laying slightly on her side, with her arms tied behind her. A rope was also about her neck, resting just above her collarbones, to keep her from moving too much. I went to the side of the bed and knelt over her, looking her over.

I placed two fingers on her throat, counting the beats of her pulse like I had read in the books we took from the soldiers. The beats were slow and few and far between. Not a good sign. I removed my fingers and examined the bruise on her neck. It was large, covering almost all of her throat and was already a dark black and blue. I slipped my hands underneath her head and lifted it gently, worried about making the damage to that area worse. I let my fingers knead ever so slightly at her spine and work their way out, testing for injury beyond the bruising. As I did this, I saw the girl's jaw muscles tighten at, what I assumed, was the pain. I mumbled an apology to her as I laid her head back down.

At this point, I realized that Chameleon had come into the room and was standing nearby. I glanced up at him, almost angry that he would just be watching. He scratched behind his head and mumbled somthing I couldn't make out. I asked him to repeat himself.

"I wanted ta watch you work. I mean, maybe I could learn a thin' or two." I understood and leaned back down to my work. I told him that her neck wasn't broken, so he could follow what I was doing. If he wanted to learn, I might as well be accomodating.

I touched the girl's ribcage, feeling for any breaks or cracks. I pressed down on each rib quickly, tallying each break, when the girl hissed a sharp intake of breath. I pulled away, not wanting to hurt her any further and waited. She breathed heavily for a moment and, as I watched, I finally saw who she was.

The brave girl, from the raid, was laying before me, beaten and broken. I almost winced at the differance between that spunky girl and this half-dead piece of flesh. Putting my hands back on her chest, I felt her breathe. The action felt shallow and tortured and I turned to talk to Chameleon again. I explained that her ribs were broken and that her lungs were possibly bruised. He looked confused so I described the bruising in lungs, the way it affects breathing and oxygen transfer and how we could fix it. He nodded in understanding and stepped closer to watch.

I decided that I was going to need some supplies to better work on the girl, the brave one. For a moment, I fought the urge to pet her, but in the end, I gave in. I laid my hand on her forehead and slowly petted her hair. I could feel the blood in it and I brushed a few flakes from the strands. While I did this, the brave girl seemed to relax, even letting out a soft sigh. At this, I stood and left the room, with Chameleon in tow. He asked me what we were going to do. A feeling warmed me, the moment she sighed, one that I was unfamiliar with. It was a gentle tug at my chest, almost like guilt, but closer to nausea than that. I battled with this, even as Chameleon asked me again. I snapped out of my thoughts, and looked at him.

"I'm gonna fix her."

* * *

**Done! Whew...loooong! Sorry if it was too boring or anything. This chapter was so unlike the first...I hope it wasn't awful! Don't kill me if it was! **

**Oh, so a point I should make is that I see Stabber as a medic of sorts. If you watch the special features for HHE 2, you can see him aiding the birth of the baby at the beginning. So, yeah. Kinda doctor like...**

**Review if you liked! xoxo**


	3. Steel

**Annnnd, I'm back! Finally, after so very long. Sorry for the wait. I was so busy with work and stuff. I got a nice interview for a 2nd job to teach children in schools around here to take care of horses. Sort of a mentor program. I hope I get it! :D Anyways, thanks for all your sweet reviews and I hope this chapter is up to par. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the Hills Have Eyes universe. I only own Rory and her friends. **

* * *

_There are various eyes. Even the Sphinx has eyes: and as a result there are various truths, and as a result there is no truth. _

* * *

The dark curtain of sleep was pulled away from my eyes and mind and was replaced with a numbing pain that made me feel heavy, like lead. I let my eyes slip open and I was met with the sight of...nothing. There was no light in the room and everything was pitch black. A small feeling of fear settled in my stomach, making me feel nauseous. I had never liked the dark and I wasn't about to start now. I felt uncomfortable not knowing if I was alone or not. I tried to keep myself calm by figuring out my own situation.

First thing I noticed was I was still on the bed. I could tell from the musty smell and the feel of the roughspun blanket or sheet under me. I was on my back this time, not on my side and my hands were now tied above my head, stretching my torso and making every breath pull at my ribs. The ache that came with each inhale was like the bite of a fire ant in my lungs. It brought a small whimper to my lips and I winced, biting my lip. I let my breathing become shallow to ease the pain and I rolled my head to the side, closing my eyes and trying to succumb to sleep once more. Hope had utterly abandoned me and I was ready to embrace whatever came next. As ready as I was, I was still surprised when a square of light came into the room.

I glanced at the light, squinting, and tried to make out what was happening. I deduced at a door had been opened, judging by the creak that occupanied the light. A moment later, a figure stood in the doorway, almost blotting it out completely with its size. It was human-like and it slipped into the room and seemed to use its leg to kick the door closed once more, plunging the room into darkness once again. I began to panic, worried that the monster was back for me. The figure had looked large enough to be the creature that violated me and I was sure, at the moment, that he had come back to finish the job.

I felt the sting of tears in my eyes as I remembered the horrid onslaught on my body and I rolled my head away from where the figure went and tried to keep my sobbing quiet. I didn't care that the crying made my chest hurt or that it made me seem weak and broken. I just didn't care anymore. The pain and humiliation was too much for me. If I ever escaped, how could I face myself or anyone else, for that matter, after being _touched_ by that thing. I was shaking at that point and I felt my muscles protest at the movement.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps from the darkness. They were heavy and they were coming closer. I knew it was him and he was coming for me. My shaking grew worse and I bit down on my lip so hard that I could taste blood. The fear drowned out any other thought. It was over. No more fighting, no more running. I had no hope of escape. I was tied down like a steer and had no way to defend myself.

It was over.

* * *

I held the bandages under one arm and a couple of bottles of water in the other. The cold from the water had long since faded from the contact with my warm skin. I had enjoyed the cool while it lasted. It had been nice when I pulled them from the fridge at the gas station and I almost leaned all the way in to rest inside of it, but I had decided against it, considering that the attendent wouldn't have liked it and that there was a mean looking shotgun behind the counter.

I slipped through the tunnels, following the wall as I walked. I adjusted my hold on my items as I reached the door. I brought up a leg and pushed the door open with a foot. The room was very dark, but my eyes were used to it and I could see the whole room almost instantly. I looked over to the bed in the corner, watching the girl on the bed. Her eyes were open and were locked on where I stood, but judging by her expression, she did not see me. I kicked the door closed and walked to my right to a table near the wall. I laid my things down on the tabletop and glanced over at her again. Her head was turned away now and I could see her body shaking slightly. I felt the guilty pang again, but I swallowed it down. I wasn't sure why I felt this way since I had never felt it before in my life, and I definitely never felt this way about any of my clan's victims.

I picked up a bottle of water and began to approach the bed. I made sure to keep my steps slow, so I didn't scare her, though I was sure she couldn't see me. As I got closer, I heard small broken cries from her and I saw that she was biting her lip. Her whole frame was racked with her sobbing and it caused an ache in my chest, one that made me choke. I stopped and shook my head, trying to clear these unknown and unwanted feelings away. I continued walking forward and, reaching the bed, I crouched down beside it. Now that I was so near, I could see that the girl was biting her lip so hard it was bleeding. I realized that she was terrified. Sighing, I leaned over and gently put a hand to her forehead. She started at the touch and I almost pulled away, but then, she turned her head towards me and her crying quieted. I petted her hair, trying to ease her fear. Then, she did something that surprised me.

"Please..." she spoke softly, her voice raspy, and I froze, my hand going still. I hadn't heard her voice since the night of the raid. That night, she had sounded so strong and fierce, it was hard to believe that she had been reduced to this. I had seen it happen before, but this time, it was so total and so sudden that it seemed impossible that she was ever strong.

"Please," she said again, "I...are you going to kill me?" Her eyes had found my face, but they were unfocused, traveling from my eyes to my chin and back as she talked. I remained quiet, not wanting to get in trouble for talking to her, despite the fact that every part of me screamed to answer her. I pulled my hand away from her head and I twisted the cap off of the bottle of water I still held. I slipped a hand under her head, noting how she reacted to my touch. Her body tensed for a second then relaxed and she even let out a small sigh. I tilted her head forward and held the bottle to her chapped lips, trying to coax her to drink. I knew that she would be dehydrated and she wouldn't properly heal without enough water.

Her lips opened as she began to drink. She seemed to gain energy and started chugging down the water like she would never have water again, which she most likely thought. I could see the water overflowing from her mouth and down her neck and I feared that she would choke so I removed the bottle. The girl whimpered, pup-like, and the sound nearly broke my resolve.

"No...please. Water..." She whispered it, desperate. I moved to let her drink again, but I held the bottle just barely an inch from her lips.

"Slow. Don't choke." The words were meant to be cautionary, but I assumed she took them as a threat or as a command because she nodded once, a frightened look on her face, and began to sip slowly. I let her drink her fill and, once she was done, I put the bottle away and stood. The girl seemed to try and find me, her eyes filling with what looked to be worry or loss. I moved away from the bedside and went to the table to grab the bandages. As I gathered them up, she called out.

"Are you still there?"

* * *

I was thankful for the water that trickled down my throat. It wasn't cold, but it was the most delicious thing I had ever had in my life. I savored the taste and the feeling of the hand behind my head. It was nice to have contact that wasn't forced or aggressive in nature. I felt an odd feeling, a sincere gratitude towards this person, this saviour from my mental and physical pain. The bottle was taken away again and this time, the person, the man, left as well. I could tell he walked away because I could hear the footfalls fade back into the soft dark. I tried to see him, but I couldn't make out anything.

I felt a deep longing for his presence and it shocked me. I had read about something like this in psychology class before. Sometimes, a captive will fall in love with their captor or at least believe that they are in love*. It was almost laughable and frightening that I almost felt that way. I promised myself, right then and there, that I would _not _be that way. Love didn't exist for monsters.

Regardless of that promise, I still wondered if he was in the room. I risked calling for him, asking if he was still here. After a moment, there was no answer. I felt disappointed and I settled back into the bed and stared at the ceiling or at least, where it should be. I began to wonder if I had just imagined his voice earlier, telling me to slow down when I drank. The voice had been rough, like a growl, but it had a gentle undertone, like a voice that was raw from yelling, but was originally soft and quiet.

As my mind wandered, I didn't notice the man return to the bedside. I didn't even notice him until his hands were on my ribs. I jumped, startled, and my eyes snapped to his face, searching for his intentions although I couldn't see his expression. His hands, warm and calloused, rested on my ribcage and didn't move. I calmed and waited to see what he would do. After a moment, he pressed down slightly, causing me to hiss in pain. He didn't relent and held the pressure for a long moment. I held my breath to ease the pain and shut my eyes tightly. After a few seconds, I could already feel my lungs burning from the need for oxygen.

"Breathe." His voice, rough like sandpaper, reached me past the pain. I did as he said and exhaled and as my chest fell, he lifted his hands away. I opened my eyes again and saw that he was much closer now, leaning over me and his face almost touching mine. I still could not see very well, but at this proximity, I could very clearly make out his eyes.

I had never seen any pair of eyes so intense. They were a deep steely grey, almost a blue and they were very focused. They barely moved as he worked over me. Now, he was wrapping soft bandages around my torso, but I barely felt him touch me as I stared into his eyes. They felt, to me, like an anchor to reality, like something I could trust in this terrible situation. His eyes were something to tie myself to and it gave me hope. His eyes were so normal, not like that of a monster, but like those of a man, a saviour, and a friend.

Then, those steel grey orbs snapped to mine and held my gaze. He didn't move or look away and neither did I. The man breathed quietly and I found myself matching his inhales and exhales. We sat like that for what felt like hours.

Then, there was a knock at the door.

* * *

***Stockholm's Syndrome**

**Ok. Done! Different style of chapter. Blame my friend Carrie Lynn! She challenged me to write a chapter like this...I hope it is good enough Car! And, I hope it was not too confusing for you all. So, yay! Now Rory and Stabber have had a slightly intimate moment. There will be more to come. Next chapter, for you Berry's Ambitions, there will be Chameleon and Missy! Woot! Please review if you liked! **

**TTFN! Ta Ta For Now!**


	4. Reality

**Here we go! Next chappie and this one was a doozy, for some reason. Much longer than the last ones and a LOT happens. I don't know...enjoy though! **

**P.S. The OC's name is Rory Sykes. I think I have messed up in the past chapters...but that is her name.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from "The Hills Have Eyes" universe. I only own Rory Sykes and her family and friends. :)**

_To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with.- Mark Twain_

* * *

The snapping knock jolted us out of our reverie, causing the man to lean away and stand quickly. I shook my head slightly, clearing my mind from the cloudy warmth that had settled in it. In the darkness, I couldn't see much, but I did see the outline of light from around the door, so I looked towards it curiously. I hoped that it was not someone that I should fear. I glanced over to the man, trying to read his body language to see if I should be worried. His stance was not tense in any way, but I noticed his hands were clenched. Another short round of knocks made the door wiggle slightly. A small silence followed after, but it was broken when the man spoke. His rough voice was calm and he spoke only one word, but there was an underlying tone of aggression that he conveyed easily through the single syllable.

"Come."

I was overcome with the need to tell him 'no', the need to tell him that I was scared of whoever was out there, but I couldn't find my voice. I merely sunk into the bed and tried to make myself as small as possible. A quiet creaking accompanied the opening of the door, giving it an eerie, haunted feel. More light poured into the room and managed to illuminate a good portion of the room. Though I felt blinded, I slowly let my eyes flicker around the room, trying to get my bearings.

The bed that I occupied was in the corner of the room, with only an inch between the edge of the bed frame and the wall. In the other corner, a small wooden table was pressed against the wall and it had a few bottles on it, which I assumed was water. There was nothing else in the room, but the dirt on the floor, so I turned my scrutiny to the man still standing by the bed.

He was mostly turned away from me, but I could make out a few things. The feature that stood out the most in my mind was that he was incredibly tall and largely built, though I could not tell if it was muscle or fat due to his choice of clothing. He wore a dirty blue jumpsuit and a pair of black boots, which were covered in dust as well. The last thing I noticed was his hair; it was long and dark, maybe black, and it fell to his shoulders. His back was to me and he took a step forward, towards the door and the person, or persons, who entered.

The first to walk through the door was definitely a man, from his strong-looking upper body and shirtless appearance. He walked in and his hands came up in a peaceful gesture and he moved no further into the room. He stood up straight and held one hand out to the side, palm facing the door.

"Wait." I was surprised at his voice. It was so different from the one I had been hearing. Where my man's voice was rough and deep, this man's was softer and younger sounding. I almost shook myself at the thought. Why did I call him 'my man'? I remembered my promise to myself and shoved all my possessive feelings away. Now was not the time.

I came back to the situation at hand and noticed that both the men had calmed, at least their bodies did. Both stood straight and they were talking about something, or someone.

"Please, she really wants ta see her." Said the man by the door, nodding his head in my direction. Someone wanted to see me? Maybe, just maybe, there was still hope for escape!

"Why? She know her?" The man by me spoke, a tone of curiousity in his voice.

"Nah, but she says that it is better for the girl to see anotha' person. One she feels she can trust."

"How can she trust any of us? Afta' what Hades did?" His voice sounded angry, now, and the man by the door stepped back slightly.

"I'm not tryin' to piss ya off. I'm just tryin' ta do what's best for the girl." At this, the man closest to me seemed to settle. His head turned slightly towards me and I could barely make out his mouth and eyes. Those steel grey orbs glanced in my direction for a millisecond before he sighed, shoulders sagging.

"Alrigh'. But be quick." As he said this, I watched his mouth as it moved. His lips had pulled back about mid-sentence and I had a glimpse of his teeth. I wasn't sure if it was the lighting or just my tired mind, but they seemed oddly sharp. I didn't linger on it for too long, because the man turned to me and knelt down at the bedside. His face was shrouded in shadow once more and I felt achingly anxious to see his teeth again. He bent over me and his hands were suddenly over my head to where my hands were tied.

"Hold still." His breath fanned across my cheek as he whispered to me. It sent goosebumps scampering down my neck and shoulder and made me shiver. His hands faltered for a moment before they continued moving. I realized that he was untying the rope. I could feel the scratchy material rub painfully against my wrists. I winced and after a few seconds, the rope came off. I left my arms there, too scared to move them and cause myself more pain. The man threw the rope to the ground and he grabbed both my hands in his. He slowly moved my arms from where they were to by my sides. The movement hurt and I bit my lip to keep from crying out. Once my arms were laid down, he moved so he was kneeling near my head.

I watched him apprehensively as he slipped one arm under my shoulders. He didn't look at me as he lifted me up into a sitting position. My ribs screamed in protest and I couldn't stop myself from cursing at the pain. The swear wasn't loud, but, then again, neither was my voice. The man moved me so that I was propped up against the headboard and I nearly cried in relief as the tension left my chest and stomach. Once I was sat up properly, the man stood and moved away to stand a few feet from the bed.

When I regained my composure, I looked back to the door. The man was still standing there, his head cocked to one side. He didn't make any move to come closer, but he did turn to the door and beckon to someone outside. Hope lit my chest like a fireplace in winter and I sat up a little straighter. Maybe it was one of my friends? Concern for their safety had been a constant in my mind, even during my hazy sleep and dark dreams. 'Maybe it is Ray or Elle!' I thought, 'Maybe they survived!' But, that hope stamped out as I noticed that the person who walked into the room was not either of them, nor was it anyone I recognized.

The figure that entered was much smaller in build than the other two, so I guessed that this was the 'she' that they were talking about earlier. She came in and uttered a gasp when her head turned to me. Her hands flew to her mouth as she looked at me, then she ran to the bedside. It startled me, how quickly she moved, but then I calmed when she threw her arms around me in a strong embrace. I wasn't sure what to do, so I just put my hands up to rest on her shoulders. Once I felt how real she was, I couldn't help but return the gesture.

Overcome with a sudden emotion, I buried my face in her hair and wrapped my own arms around her back. The feel of another human being so close was a feeling that I thought I would never feel again. The woman spoke in my ear and her words were gentle and comforting and they told me that everything was going to be alright. She had brought a warm hand to my back and was massaging small circles into it. I wept, openly, freely, not caring if the men in the room saw me. My tears drenched her wavy hair and made trails down her shoulder and arm. I could do nothing, but weep like a baby as this mysterious woman rocked me back and forth, as a mother would to quell her child's night fears. And, for a moment, just a moment, I thought I was safe. But, then I remembered the monster.

All the thoughts of that terrible, massive beast of a man came flooding back with the tears, as if a huge emotional dam had just been torn down. I remembered the wretched names he called me as he dragged me down to the ground and how rough and bruising his hands had been as he lifted me onto any surface he could find. I thought back on the disgusting way he smelled and how I almost threw up as he roughly kissed me, his thick tongue imposing and syrupy. I recalled how raw my throat felt as I screamed for someone, anyone, to stop him and help me and carry me away from that place and I brokenly remembered the ache I felt, like an icy rope being pulled around my neck, as no one answered my cries.

As these thoughts came back, I broke down even harder, clutching the other woman's shirt like I would drift away if I didn't hold on. I realized at that point at I was no longer crying, but screaming, the familiar hoarse sound filling my chest and the room. The woman held me tighter as I vented, shushing me and kissing my temple. We sat like this until I managed to quiet myself, harsh crying giving way to sniffling and hiccups. I sat back from her a while later, rubbing my knuckles in my eyes and trying to push the emotion to the side. At this point, I noticed that the room was lit from a different light source.

A lamp had been brought over and now sat burning softly near the bed, its pulsing orange glow soothing to my sore and tired eyes. I glanced back up at the woman next to me and was almost taken aback as I noticed her appearance.

She was dark skinned, almost the same shade as me, with dark wavy hair that sat around her face. Her face was well defined, with high cheekbones and large expressive, intelligent brown eyes. She really looked like an older version of me, with very few differences. She smiled at me and put a piece of my short hair behind my ear. Her full lips still set in a grin, she turned to her right, towards the men.

"Can one of you bring me some water? Poor thing could use it." Her request was set to instantly, with the man by the door moving on the edges of the light to the table. Now that I could see, I noticed that he was indeed shirtless, his muscles made obvious by the way the light danced off of him. As I watched, a kind of queasy feeling settled into my stomach and throat, similar to the feeling one gets right before one vomits. I knew my eyes had widened in horror and I pulled away from the woman and pressed myself against the headboard. I hadn't noticed it until now and I was beyond shocked.

There was something wrong with him. The side of his torso that was exposed to me was covered in what looked like small rocks, almost like he was made of a mountain. They covered him from head to foot, literally, and my mind instantly supplied that he was a monster. Maybe, even _the _monster. Before I could stop myself, I let loose a throat shredding scream and tried to back away even further.

The woman jumped at my reaction and leaned forward to try and take my hand.

"Sweetie, it's okay! You're okay!" Her voice rose as she tried to calm me, but I wouldn't have it. I pushed against her and almost fell out of the bed, only barely aware of the pain I was causing myself by moving. My only thought was to get away. The man in the jumpsuit moved quickly to my side, hovering over the bed and pulling me back onto its center. I tried to pull away, but his grip was vicelike and he easily manuevered me so that I was half leaning on him. The woman scooted down the bed to make room for him and she laid a hand on my knee.

"Honey, it is alright. He won't hurt you, I promise." She said softly. I whimpered slightly and sniffled, glancing towards the man...monster, by the table. He had not moved from the spot he was at since I screamed, but now he stood, slightly hunched and staring at his feet. I swallowed and turned back to the woman.

"W-what..." I had to clear my throat as my voice broke and hissed, "What is h-he?"

"A human, just like you and me." I met her eyes.

"Human? Just like that...that THING that did this to me?" My question had become a yell and I felt angry tears prick my eyes. At my outburst, the man holding me went stiff and his arms tightened around my shoulders. The woman winced and she grabbed my hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

"No, hun, no. That man...he is evil. What he did to you was unspeakable and you _did not_ deserve it. But, Chameleon...that man by the table is nothing like him. He is sweet and he does not want to hurt you. Do you, Chameleon?" Her question was directed at the man still hunched away from us. At her words, he lifted his eyes and nodded once.

"Yea'." He spoke quietly and with such a sadness in his blue eyes that I felt a piece of me break. I withered and sighed, dropping my own eyes to my knees.

"But...he...what are those...things? On his body?"

"Tumors. They are a...mutation." I felt a little confused.

"Like Wolverine?" This earned a laugh from the woman, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

"No, no. Like, well," She paused, most likely collecting her thoughts, "Almost like evolving. The tumors look like rocks and that helps him blend into the surroundings and it has helped him survive. Does that make sense?" I nodded, beginning to get it. But, there was one question still nagging my mind. I looked back at the man by the table, Chameleon was what she called him, then back to the woman.

"When can I go home?"

The woman's face fell at that and she looked to Chameleon, then to the man behind me. I curiously watched her, waiting for her to answer me. She ran a hand through her dark hair and more than a few times, she tried to speak, but she never did. Then, from behind me, the man spoke, the sound rumbling through his large chest.

"Ya can't." The words were simple enough, but they hit me like a gunshot, stealing the wind from me. I couldn't believe what I had heard. I shook my head once, twice, trying to piece together that final verdict. I could never go home? I could never see my ma or pa again? I could never see another movie or hang out with friends? My friends!

I had forgotten about them, my own misfortune drowning out their fate. I snapped my head up.

"Where are my friends?" The woman looked confused and she shook her head.

"I don't know. What friends?"

"My friends! The one's who I was camping with when we were...attacked." The memory of that night became clear in my mind.

* * *

We had set up camp a few hours before sunset. Elle and I had piled some logs and sticks for a fire, which she had not enjoyed, complaining of splinters and dirt while I had laughed. Galen and Ray had extracted their football from one of the bags we had hiked in with and they were tossing it around, laughing and faking cheers from an imaginary crowd. Elle had been staring at Galen, a dreamy look on her face and I had punched her arm, giggling about her crush. All had seemed well, even the usually sour Ben was grinning and enjoying himself. Then, evening fell.

With the campfire blazing, we were eating smores and laughing way too loudly. The boys were sipping on beers and flexing their muscles at us. Elle blushed and tried not to stare as Galen whipped off his shirt to give us a look at "these damn fine pecs". We were so carefree that we didn't even notice that anything had gone wrong until it was too late.

Ray noticed first, his eyes scanning the darkness just outside our campfire. He said he heard something and we all put it off as coyotes or the wind, calling him a pussy. He shushed us and continued peering out until a small voice was heard. "Please...please..." it had said. Ray walked off into the dark, curious and Galen had followed, not wanting him to go alone. We all waited for a moment before a wet clap was heard. Terrified screams filled the air, but then they were cut off short with another sick, sloppy crunch.

Elle and I grabbed each other's hands in fear and our eyes searched for any signs of the other boys. Then, Ben had run, panting and crying in the opposite direction, leaving me and Elle alone.

Elle shrieked and began hyperventilating, clutching her chest. I had leaned over and told her to calm down to avoid an asthma attack. She nodded shakily and tried to relax. I stood at that point and yelled into the darkness, daring the mother fuckers to come out and try something.

I had heard a small snap then, and I turned to see Elle drop face first onto the ground. I freaked and knealt, trying to rouse her. I heard the sound again and suddenly my eyes were out of focus. I knew I was falling.

* * *

Then, all I could remember was the gentle voice and the monster. I shook my head and sighed.

"They...they're d-dead. Aren't they?" Silence. Then, a sigh from the man behind me.

"Yes. None of them survived." He sounded so sure, so confident in his answer. I turned slightly to look at him, to judge what he had said. Once again, I felt shocked.

His face, while generally normal looking, was misshapen, like someone had taken one side of his forehead and molded it up into a goose egg and there were pieces of flesh missing from his cheeks. I panicked again for what felt like the millionth time today and I wiggled out of his grasp, scrambling towards the woman, who reached out and grabbed me to steady me. I whipped around to fully look at the man, my saviour, the owner of the gentle hands and gentle voice.

He looked back at me, his steel coloured eyes hard and focused. He merely sat there, at the head of the bed, letting me take him all in. My eyes lingered on his face, patchy and dirty and all wrong, before I completely _saw _him. He was one of them too. Human, like the woman had said, but he was still mutated, like Chameleon, just in a different way. I felt utter disbelief that someone like that could have been so caring and comforting to me. I was disgusted that I ever could have felt _anything _other than contempt for such a creature. I felt bile rise in my throat and I turned away, hiding my face in the woman's shoulder once more.

After a second or two, the bed shifted and I peeked through my short grungy hair to see that the man was leaning towards me, reaching out a hand. I backed away, trying to curl into the woman and out of his reach.

"No..." I whispered.

The man froze, and a look of horribly real guilt burdened his face.

"Just...leave."

**That's the end. Kind of a weird place to end it, I'm sorry, but I just could not write any more. I had such a hard time with this chapter and it probably shows...**

**Please don't hate Rory! I know she is being kind of mean, but she will get better, I promise! So, yay for Chameleon and Missy cameo! Woot! I hope it made sense that it was them. Hopefully the next chapter will be better. **


	5. Guilt

**Oh my gosh! I'm alive! Ha! Imagine that. Finally got some time to write this chapter. Sorry it has been so long, peeps! Hope this makes up for it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the Hills Have Eyes. I only own Rory Sykes and her friends and family.**

**Rated M for serious language and some pervy thoughts. Enjoy! **

_"Fear is the tax that the conscience pays to guilt."- George Sewell_

* * *

A deep heavy silence filled the room at my words. It was so quiet that I could hear my heartbeat in my ears, almost deafening. I kept my gaze on the man, the mutant, as he sat there, shock and flat out guilt spilling over his features. He leaned back, dropping his arm and his eyes dropped as well. Never had I seen someone look so defeated. He reminded me of a large puppy that had gotten in trouble for chewing a shoe and had been kicked for it. A pang of leaden sorrow struck me then and I began to feel something similar to the way he looked. I remained against the woman, peeking through my dark red hair at the mutant. The woman petted my head soothingly, but did not speak for a long time. When she did, her voice was quiet and motherly.

"Sweetie, take it back. Stabber won't hurt you. He wants to help, I promise." Her words shocked me out of my guilt and threw me into anger and confusion. I looked back at her, incredulous.

"What? You want me to what? I'm sorry, but that is fucking ridiculous! Why the hell would I do that?! This...fucking MONSTER is a murderer! His name is STABBER! STABBER! Come on!" I screamed at her, unbelieving that she would defend such a creature. I stood quickly from the bed, ignoring the wave of vertigo that hit me. I glanced to the mutant, who sat still, watching me with narrowed eyes.

"Honey, you need to calm down." said the woman as she stood as well. She held her hands out in a placating gesture. "You are going to hurt yourself. Please, Stabber WILL NOT hurt you. None of us will."

"No! No...he...you...he killed my friends!" I began to stutter, fear engulfing me and pain rushing from my chest to my throat. "He KILLED them. Why?! Why not me...?" I felt fresh tears spill in waves from my eyes and my vision blurred. I wrapped my arms around myself and bent over slightly, encompassed so totally by my grief that I felt sick. My breathing became harsh and the effort it took to get oxygen was too much. I felt my knees buckle and give and was met with sensation of falling. I didn't care at that point. All I wanted was to die, to be with my friends once more, not stuck in this upside down hole with these monsters.

I closed my eyes and waited for the impact, but it never came. Instead, my head fell against a warm body and I was encircled by arms. I half-opened my eyes to see who caught me, but I already knew. I recognized the scent, dirt and musk, and the feel of the long strong arms. I resigned myself to this and curled into him and wept. I wept tears of sorrow, of loss for my friends and tears of physical pain and heartache. I cried hard and grabbed at the mutant's shoulder, trying to press myself into him so that I might disappear.

To his credit, the mutant did nothing but hold me, regardless of the harsh and terrible words I had said about him. He just held me, not speaking, and let me release all of my anguish. Once my sobs quieted, he stood with me in his arms and walked back to the bed, his steps slow and sure. He laid me down and knelt by my side, not meeting my gaze. I sniffed pathetically and stared at him.

"Why didn't you kill me?" I asked him, my voice quiet and croaky. The mutant looked up at me, his gray eyes betraying nothing. He sighed and shook his head slowly before answering.

"It wasn' ma place ta kill ya. Ya ain't mine." The answer confused me.

"What do you mean?"

"Not now. I'll explain soon. Ya need sleep." As he spoke, he stood and motioned to the woman and the other mutant. They both nodded and moved to leave. The woman looked back at me and smiled, waving.

"I'll see you later, sweetheart. Try to get some sleep, ok? You will feel better in the morning. I'm Missy, by the way." I smiled at her and nodded. I was thankful for her kind words and I felt good now that I knew her name.

Once the two of them had left, the room was plunged into darkness again. The mutant, Stabber, moved into the darkness and was quiet. I grew fearful, feeling alone and I went with my first impulse. I called out to him.

"S-stabber?" I was met with silence for a moment before his voice came from the darkness.

"Wha?" He sounded a little bit ticked. I couldn't blame him.

"Will you...stay here? I don't want to be alone."

"Thought ya wanted me ta leave?" His tone was sarcastic and mean this time. I sighed and cursed myself.

"No, I...I was just angry. And scared. I'm still scared. I don't want you to leave me." More silence, this time longer and it made a pit form in my stomach. I bit my lip before speaking again. "Please?" For a long moment, I thought he was going to stay quiet, but then his rough voice cut through the dark.

"Alrigh'. I won' go anywhere."

I was so relieved that I laughed slightly, but I caught myself and cleared my throat.

"Thank you, Stabber. And...I'm sorry."

"So am I."

* * *

The girl dozed off quickly, her even breathing occasionally punctuated by small whimpers or sharp inhales. I leaned on the wall, my arms crossed over my chest and a scowl on my face. Her words had stung me, though I knew them to be true. I was surprised at myself. I had never let anyone make me feel so terrible, but this girl had yelled at me and I let her. I had even felt sadness over it.

I wasn't sure what to make of it. So, I stood there, pondering this brave and broken girl and her effect on me. She was no different then any of the other women who we had brought here to the mines. There had been brave ones before, tougher than her and sharper in their words. They had bitten me and spit at me and one even managed to break my arm. Those women, though, were slaughtered and eaten, usually after a few nights of painful molestation. I had never had any qualms with it, until this girl.

I shook my head with a snort. The others, especially Letch, would laugh at me and call me soft. Sure, Chameleon had Missy and he was gentle to her, but I was the strong loner of the group. I was supposed to be cruel and calculating, not kind or caring. Shaking my head again, I shoved those thoughts in the back of my mind. I didn't want to deal with any of this, these feelings and I refused to look to much into it.

During my musings, the girl had turned over onto her stomach. The position gave me a good look at her back. The darkness made the details hard to see, but I could make out the arch of her muscles and the dip of her spine. Her arms were pulled up to rest under her head and I noticed a small dark mark, like a thick line, on her right shoulder. I cocked my head, curious, and I moved back to the bedside. I bent over her, careful not to wake her, and I slipped the torn rag that used to be a shirt away from her shoulder. In the blackness, I could barely see it, but sure enough, a black tattoo stood out on the dirty brown of her skin. I shifted myself, so I could read what it said, leaning one arm against the bed to her left and bending a knee against the frame near her hip. I loomed over the girl, almost parallel to her and I peered down at the tattoo. I was amazed I hadn't noticed it sooner.

The black lettering was thick and written in something very much like a regular person's handwriting. Two small pistols sat under the words, the barrels crossed over one another and glinting in simulated sunlight.

It read '**Are you gonna cowboy up or just lay there and bleed?**'.

I read the words a few times to make sure I read them right. Cowboy up? I guessed that it was something like 'man up'. The cowboy saying made me think of what kind of girl she might be. Most girls I was used to were skinny blonde city girls, with soft voices and soft skin and who broke too easily for my liking. This girl was very different from them, dark skin, dyed hair, strong arms and legs and a sturdy body all round and an attitude to match. A stray thought coursed though my mind; I wondered if she ever rode a mechanical bull, as many country girls were reputed to do. I imagined her riding said machine, legs wrapped around it and hips rolling with the motion, stomach muscles tightening as she tried to stay on.

Suddenly, the all too familiar feeling of want crept into my gut. I laid a hand on her head and let my fingers lightly run over her hair. It was short, no longer than mine, and I had noticed before that it was a deep red, almost black, colour. I let my hand travel down to her neck, where I knew there were large bruises in the shape of hands. My fingers danced over the bumps of her spine and I bent closer to her, inhaling her scent deeply. She smelt of blood and sweat and salt, but it was her blood and her sweat and it sent a chill over my skin. I licked my lips, almost nicking my tongue on my sharp teeth. Lust made my stomach and chest burn, like taking a shot of some old potent alcohol, and it took everything I had not to ravage her.

I stood from her side quickly, backing away a few steps and closed my eyes. I forced myself to breathe through my nose, calming myself and pushing away all sexual thoughts. I shook my head and moved to leave the room. I needed to clear my head and I couldn't do that here, not with her so close. I decided to get her some food, since she hadn't eaten since the raid a few nights ago; it was really an excuse, but it did need to happen. I treaded quietly out the door, watching her to make sure she didn't wake and slipped out, locking the door behind me for her safety and my own peace of mind. I turned and walked back up the tunnel, eyes on the ground as I went.

The walk felt long and I didn't even look up as I passed the old stable for the pit ponies that marked the high end of the mines. I kept wandering until I reached a large room filled with little baubles and trinkets that had been taken from past victims.

Small bits of red and green glass were hung from skinny black strings from the ceiling, catching the barest amount of light and casting it around the room, lighting it slightly. The walls were shelved and there were small dolls and toy cars and shoes settled on them. A table sat in the middle of the room, littered with children's books and a few toys, like spinning tops and a toy train. I moved in cautiously, not wanting to disturb anything.

"'Sel'?" I called out quietly, stepping over an overturned rocking horse. When my call didn't yield an answer, I almost called out again, but I was cut off by a grunt from near the back wall. I stopped, turning to the sound and peering into the darkness. I could barely make out a figure, large and hunched, in the dark, but I knew who it was.

"I need food, Hansel." I spoke slower than usual, so he could understand and hear me. The other mutant was not the brightest, but he was helpful and not a threat to anyone. The large mutant turned slowly from the darkness, his face etched in curiousity. He stepped closer, still hunched and turned partially to the side from me, exposing his ribs and shoulder to me. I had come to the conclusion that he did this as a submissive gesture or out of fear of abuse. When he was a few feet from me, he peered up into my face momentarily, his good eye gleaming, before he spoke.

"W-waa ee?*" It took me a moment to realize what he was asking.

"For...one 'a the girls." I hesitated, unsure of how to refer to her. The shorter mutant watched me for a few more seconds before turning back to his darkness. I waited, somewhat impatiently, for him to return with the food. I could hear him rustling about in one of his piles, metallic clanging and crumpling paper being the most prominent of the sounds.

After a moment, Hansel came back into sight, arms full of small cans. He approached me, hunched as before and began to place them into my gloved hands. There were cans of beans, small pasta squares, and peaches. I nodded my thanks to him and offered him a small smile, feeling a small amount of pity for him. He awkwardly grinned back before dropping his gaze to the floor. I turned and began to leave, but I was stopped by a question from him.

"Yoou...cah fo ha, dun chh-a*?" It gave me pause. I hadn't asked myself that about anyone before. I wasn't even sure that I COULD feel anything for anyone else but myself. Did I care for that girl, that brave, broken, beautiful girl? Thoughts of Chameleon and Missy came unbidden to my mind, their quiet laughter, their long passionate kisses, and their strong bond. Thoughts of Letch came, as well, with his young thing and I realized that even he, more gruff and violent than I, could and did care for someone. I turned slightly back to Hansel, the cans in my arms clinking together.

"Yea', I think I do." I said.

* * *

I awoke to the creaking of the door, my mind fuzzy and my eyes sore from crying. I lifted my head from my arms, almost yelping at the pain, and tried to see. A small amount of light poured in from the doorway and I could make out a large figure standing there. Fear gripped momentarily as a I spoke.

"Stabber? Is that you?"

"Yea'. It's me." Came the soft reply. I sighed in relief and moved to sit up as the door closed. I bent my arms underneath me and pushed myself up and off the bed, joints cracking as I yawned. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I tried to make him out in the darkness. My eyes scanned the area where I knew the table to be and I heard things being laid out on it, little _thunks_ and _taps _being the indicator.

"What is that?" I asked him, slightly nervous, overactive mind supplying that it was something dangerous he was doing. I sat and listened as he placed one, two more items on the table before speaking.

"Got ya food. Cans. Ya must be hungry, considerin' ya haven't eaten' in a few days." He sounded different, quiet as usual, but somehow nicer.

At the mention of food, my stomach decided to make me aware of its discomfort by growling loudly. I slammed my hands over my stomach in embarassment and I felt my face heat up and I was thankful for the dark so the blush couldn't be seen. The mutant-no, Stabber- chuckled from where he was.

"I'll take that as a yes. Ya have a few choices, but I would tell ya to eat them all. There's beans, peaches, and these small pasta things called...rav-ravi..." He trailed off.

"Ravioli? Ohmigosh! Can I have that? Is it warm?" I couldn't control my excitement at the idea of food. I imagined that if I had a tail, it would be wagging like crazy. Stabber was quiet for a moment, then he laughed again, the sound deep and throaty and it reminded me of a typical villain I'm-up-to-no-good laugh. I smiled sheepishly in the dark, which surprised me. I was actually enjoying his company again, even after everything I'd learned not too long ago. 'But,' I thought to myself, 'he is being very kind and he hasn't tried to hurt me. Maybe Missy is right...' I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard Stabber talking. I asked him to repeat himself and apologized for not hearing the first time.

"It's alrigh'. I was sayin' that it is all cold, the food, but it's good." As he spoke, I heard a grinding sound, like metal against metal, and I assumed he was opening a can. I got excited again, perking up and sitting straight-backed on the bed. I felt like a horse who heard the grain bucket and was standing at the side of the paddock, ears forward and neck high. Shuffling sounded, getting closer to me, then a cold can was placed in my hand.

The rounded thing was, indeed, open, so I slipped two fingers into it, cautiously testing out what was inside. My fingers hit something puffed and slippery and I grabbed it. Bringing it to my nose, I sniffed it and, to my delight, it smelled like tomato sauce. I popped the pasta into my mouth and almost moaned at how delicious it was. I hadn't realized how hungry I was so I held the edge of the can to my mouth and let the raviolis slid into my mouth. I finished off the can quickly and started licking the sauce out of the can.

It was at that moment that I noticed that Stabber was kneeling in front of me. I couldn't see him well, but I could feel him near my knee, warmth radiating off of him to my legs. I stopped my barbaric raiding of the can's insides and settled it on my lap, staring at the place where his face would be. I felt like he was staring back and I was ashamed of my animalistic eating, so I cleared my throat and tried to change the subject.

"So...Stabber? Why do you keep the lights off?" I asked, as this had been bugging me for a while. "It's hard for me to see in the dark."

He didn't answer me; I could see him lower his head instead. I sensed that he was uncomfortable, but I pressed on, my curiousity almost unbearable.

"Is it because you don't want me to see you? Are you afraid of what I'll say or do? I don't blame you, if that's it. I haven't exactly been understanding or anything." I rambled, toying with my fingers as I did. "Or, I bet it's because you are trying to keep me from being able to run off. Well, you don't have to worry about that either. Not like I know where I'm going. I mean, I don't even have shoes...where am I gonna go?" At this, I felt him stand and move away. I grew worried, thinking I offended him so I bit my lip to shut myself up. 'Dammit, Rory! Why can't you keep your mouth shut? Now, he's gonna kill you for sure or he's gonna hold out on those delicious raviolis.' I ranted at myself in my head, biting my lip until I tasted blood.

Suddenly, a light came on, not very brightly, but it was enough to make me shut my eyes for a moment. When I opened them, the room was lit, the light coming from a small strong lamp settled on the table. As my eyes adjusted, I saw Stabber leaning away from the table to look at me, expectantly. I looked back at him, letting myself take him in more than I had a chance to before.

I remembered the long dark hair, raggedly reaching his shoulders and the jumpsuit, navy blue and dirty. I let my eyes travel his face, learning the features, his mutations, and I held down the fear and disgust and tried to be open minded. His face was strong boned, with pronounced cheekbones and a thick jaw line. Several spots on his face were patched, as I noticed before, with missing flesh. The spots were small and red and upon close observation, muscle could be seen. His forehead, while mostly normal, did have a deformity on the right as well. It appeared to be nothing but a bump on his head, so it wasn't to hard to look at.

"Yer starin', girl." Stabber's voice gave me a jolt and I dropped my gaze to the floor.

"S-sorry, Stabber. Didn't mean to be rude..." I felt another blush warm my cheeks. An uncomfortable quiet passed between us before I timidly asked him if the mutations hurt him.

"Nah," he replied, "Don't worry 'bout it. I'm...used to it." The last part made me cringe. "Now, I have a question for ya. What's your name?"

"My name? Why?"

"Well, I can't keep callin' ya 'girl', can I?"

"Well, I guess not...since I know your name, I guess it's only fair. I'm Rory."

Stabber watched me intently, crossing his lean muscled arms across his chest.

"Rory..." he said quietly to himself. I nodded once. The mutant watched me a moment longer before nodding as well. "Alrigh'."

I smiled slightly at him, then yawned, tiredness taking over again. Stabber moved to the bedside and knelt. He reached over to me, but hesitated. I looked at him curiously, then it hit me. He didn't want to touch me because he was worried it would make me freak out, like before. I felt guilt strike me again, guilt that I had made him feel so bad. Sure, he was a killer and, sure, he wasn't going to let me leave, but he fed me and took care of me. I knew I had to make things right with him, at least a little bit.

I leaned forward and took a hold of his arm by the elbow. Stabber's expression changed to one of shock and he flinched at my touch. I smiled gently at him and pulled his arm towards me.

"It's ok. I...I trust you." As soon as the words left my mouth, I wasn't sure of their truth, but they made me feel better, almost like everything was going to be ok. Stabber looked seriously into my eyes for a moment, then he brought his arm around my shoulders. He leaned me back against the bed causing me to groan in relief. The man laid his fingers against my neck, checking my pulse, I assumed. He waited there, waited for one, two, three beats of my heart, then he moved back.

I felt myself slipping into sleep, my eyes becoming heavy and my body leaden. Before I could sleep, though, I turned to look at Stabber.

"Hey...will you stay?" I repeated my question from before. This time, Stabber laughed with mirth.

"Ya have ta ask? Yea', I'll be here. Go ta sleep." He went to the table and turned the lamp down, the room becoming dark again. I closed my eyes and sighed. The dream that came to me was filled with a deep gruff voice and soft hands caressing me and the smell of dirt and blood.

It definitely wasn't a bad dream.

***Translation for Hansel- 1)Why? 2) You care for her, don't you?**

**Holy carp...that was hard. Gosh, I'm sorry for the wait, everyone! I hope this chapter is alright...I feel like it is kind of stupid and slow. Hmmm...oh well. Let me know what you think! Please be nice. From now on, the chapters will not be so slow. And the plot will be coming into the chapters. **

**Reviews feed my starving soul...feeed meh! **


	6. Trust

**Boom! I am back with more 'Watch Me'! This chapter will be better, I swear. The plot is coming together, now and as I said, the story won't be so slow. Alright, let's do this! ;D **

**Warning: Possible OOCness and rated T for lanuguage and suggestive content.**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own The Hills Have Eyes or any of its characters. I only own Rory Sykes and her friends and family.**

* * *

_The problem with trust is trusting yourself to fully trust someone else. Do you trust yourself to know who to trust or do you trust yourself to trust yourself anymore than you trust someone else?_

* * *

Over the next month, I learned a lot about my situation. I saw Missy every morning and she explained to me a lot about what was going on. She told me that we were in a large network of mines that ran through the mountain side. They were very old and that the mutants (there were more, I learned) had lived here for years. Missy had to explain to me the nature and cause of the mutations that afflicted the inhabitants. I had learned about the bomb testing in White Sands in school, but the text books said nothing about the men and women who still lived there when it happened. I cried when she told me about how they survived in the hills. I couldn't believe she could live with these people after everything they had done. Missy was very patient with me, though, and she calmly told me her story. The National Guard, her son, Clyde, her kidnapping and her steady fall into love with Chameleon; she told me everything. I had many questions and she answered them all. I felt confused, slightly, but I understood that she trusted Chameleon and that she had no qualms with living there. I vowed to myself that I would try to be as open minded as she was.

Missy told me that the monster who did those terrible things to me was named Hades. He was the father of Chameleon and his brothers Letch and Hansel, who I hadn't met yet. I was surprised that someone as sweet as Chameleon was the offspring of such a horrible man. Missy asked me about my life, as well. I told her about my family, my mom and dad and two older brothers. I rambled about our small farm in Colorado and about my college. I wept as I told her about my good friends and our plans for the future. She held me as I cried and laughed with me when I relived some of my silly past.

Our talks were very refreshing and they really helped me feel better about everything. I loved seeing her and Chameleon daily and I always felt warm inside when I saw them holding hands. I also met MIssy's friend and fellow ex-soldier Amber. She was a lovely blonde woman with a strong spunky attitude and we got along pretty well. I did not, however, get along with her lover, Chameleon's brother Letch. He was a little...standoffish, to be putting it lightly, but he was very protective of Amber, which showed that he did have a better half.

I saw Stabber, as well, but our interactions stayed pretty formal. He would be there when I woke up, he would feed me, check my injuries, then I would have my little talks with Missy or I'd sleep again. I tried to have conversations with Stabber, but he did not talk much. When he did, he spoke quietly and with very few words. I felt kind of stupid when we talked because I would just ramble on and on and he would sit there, watching me with his intense gaze. Sometimes, I would stop in the middle of one of these rants, sheepish, and I would apologize for talking too much. He would just cock his head and shrug, as if he didn't care.

I realized quickly that I enjoyed Stabber's company. He no longer frightened me, although I never forgot what he could do and what he DID do.

I had begun to pester Stabber about letting me outside, at least out of the room. I grew bored too quickly and Missy and Amber could not always be there with me to keep away that boredom. On this particular day, I was sitting on my bed, drawing circles in the dirt with my toes, while Stabber failed at telling me why I could not do so.

"It ain't safe. And, you'll piss off Hades."

"Now that isn't a very good reason. WHY would it piss him off? And how would he even know?"

"Trust me, he would find out and hurt ya even more than he did before."

That shut me up for a moment before I countered in an innocent tone,

"But, Stabber... I'm restless. Besides, you would protect me, wouldn't you?" This seemed to give him pause. He wouldn't meet my gaze when he spoke next.

"Look, it...it's hard ta explain." He trailed off at this point, looking at me, eyes hard and focused. I stood and walked to him, slowly, deliberate in my steps. I moved until I almost stood toe to toe with him. I looked up at him, scanning his face, and he looked back at me.

"Try." Was all I said. Stabber stared at me a few moments longer, sighed.

"Fine." I nodded and rocked back on my heels, waiting. Another sigh escaped him and he crossed his broad arms.

"It's...against our laws. The clan is not suppos'd ta break it, no matter wha'. Hades, bein' the leader, has his choice o' the females we bring back. Since there is only you, rights ta ya falls ta him by default. So, I have no right ta claim ya. That means I can't protect ya from 'im and I can't help ya, other than what he tells me. Get it? I won't hurt ya, but I can't save ya either." It was the most words he had spoken in a single go, at least that I had heard.

I let the information sink in for a minute. 'Claimed?' I thought, 'That means...he IS coming back for me.'

"Wait, wait. So, is he...going to come back for me? To finish..." I couldn't find the words. The mutant nodded once.

"He is gonna try to. That's why ya can't leave. If you are hurt, he won't try anythin'. He needs healthy breedas ta make the clan bigga. So, I been lyin' to 'im bout your injuries, so has Missy and 'Leon." I took another step back, wrapping my arms around myself, a sudden chill creeping up my back.

"You can't lie forever." His face told me he knew I was right. He also backed away a step and an emotion I couldn't place crossed his rough, patchy features.

"I know."

I balked at his words and stumbled back to the bed, dropping onto it. I felt anger and sadness begin to build behind my eyes.

"It's not fair! Stabber, isn't there anything you can do?" I pleaded, turning my face to him. The large man remained silent and I groaned in frustration. "That isn't fair. Why aren't you allowed? Why does he have all the rights?" Then it hit me. It hit me like a 2-ton riding bull.

"Wait...how did Chameleon get Missy? I mean, Hades knows she's alive, right? She has been here for a while."

"It's differen'. He's Hades' son, so he has more rights than me an' Grabber. Same with Letch an' Ambah."

"So, there is no rule or anything that says you can take a woman by force or vote or through some kind of debate?"

"Debate? Have ya heard us talk?"

"Alright, alright, sorry. I'm just trying figure out a way out of this mess." I huffed, slightly angry, and shoved my face into my pillow. I let the lumpy thing cushion my cheeks and forehead, breathing as deeply as I could while remaining facedown. Soon, I felt the bed creak and I glanced over to where Stabber sat at the end, looking away from me.

At this, I felt a little stirring of gratitude. He would figure it out, I told myself. I sat back up and swung my legs back over the edge of the bed. In this spot, my knee touched his and I could feel his warmth. I let my mind wander, to better times and I found myself leaning against the much larger form beside me. His muscles were stiffened at the contact, but he made no move to push me away, so there I remained, until a question started itching in the back of my mind.

"Stabber?"

"Hm?" It came out almost as a growl.

"Why are you so nice to me?"

"Ya want me ta be mean?" A slight hardening of his voice.

"No. Just curious. I mean, what have I done to make you...like me?" A pause.

"Nothin'. Can't I just like ya?"

"I mean...is it because I'm pretty?" I said this with sarcasm.

"Sure. Yer pretty."

"Is that all?"

At this, he growled again, low, and turned to me, sharply.

"What are ya doin'?" He asked, eyes intense. I gulped and shifted away. I had never seen him so aggressive before, especially towards me.

"What do you mean?"

"What are ya gettin' at?" He snarled. I dropped my gaze to my lap, fidgeting as I answered.

"I'm just asking, that's all. I want to know, I mean...don't I have that right?" I peered at him out of the corner of my eye. He still sat, tensed, but now his eyes roamed all over me, trying to understand, trying to find a response. After an awkward couple of moments, his rumbling voice reached me.

"Why do ya care?" I fully turned to him, now, and took a moment to find the right words. I actually wasn't sure why I cared. It just felt so good to have someone care for me; I knew I couldn't tell him that.

"I-I don't. I mean...I do, but...I wanna hear it from you." Was my lame reply. His piercing gray eyes locked onto mine. I tried to stare back, but I only managed to whither and find the floor incredibly interesting. Silence spilled between us again. My ears felt clogged and stuffy as a result of the quiet. My heart beat throbbed in my head, almost giving me a headache and making my eyes hurt. I inhaled deeply, feeling like a blundering idiot. Then, a hand cupped my jaw, making me raise my head and turn to my right.

Stabber held my face in his large calloused hand, now sitting incredibly close to me. He must have moved when I was too busy staring at the floor to notice. I stared at him, hyper-aware of the heat of his hand seeping into my skin. His gray eyes seemed very soft at that moment, more silky silver than harsh steel. His grip on my chin lessened slightly and he brought himself closer to me. My heart began to beat hard. I was unsure of how to react, so I merely sat perfectly still. The man got even closer, his forehead almost brushing mine.

"Stabber?" I asked, in a whisper. The man made no move to pull away, but he mumbled against me.

"Hm?"

"What are you doing?" The words left me a breathy exhale. His eyes caught mine again and I saw a liquid emotion in them, an emotion that I had seen before, and recently. Lust had settled in them and his hand had fallen to my sternum, nearly upon the curve of my breast. He leaned forward even more, pressing himself harshly against me. My body reacted instantly, muscles rigid as if I prepared to flee. I gulped harshly, but it only made my throat sore and tight. A red hot twisting had gotten a hold on my gut and I felt sick. Stabber's warm breath tickled across my face as he breathed quickly.

My nerves screamed at me to move away, to shove away the mutant and run until I could not anymore. Memories of the horrors that Hades inflicted on me came rushing back, flooding my mind with echoes of screams, agony, and blood. Breathing became difficult, like trying to breathe through gauze and my heart rate picked up once again.

The man seemed unaffected by my reaction, for a moment, but then his head pulled away from mine. The look in his eyes faded back to his normal intense focus. I noticed that his hand had not left my chest and it made me a little uncomfortable. I almost jumped as he spoke, his gravelly voice seemed a yell in the quiet.

"...yer afraid." It was not a question. My head shot up and I stuttered that I was not. It was true that I was scared, but I felt terrible telling him so. I knew, deep down, that he was aware of the truth. My heart gave that away, its beat still thundering under his hand. The mutant removed himself from my immidiate space, then he removed himself from the bed entirely. Terrible guilt found me once more and I struggled to find words to tell him I was sorry, though sorry wasn't the proper word. I had no words to express the feeling I had right then.

During my emotional musings, the man who had so occupied my attention had moved towards the door, making to leave. I finally noticed and stood quickly, my fear of being alone comsuming me almost completely.

"Wait! Please, don't leave!" My voice cracked on the last syllable. Where I stood, a few feet from Stabber who was a few feet from the door, was the closest I'd been to outside in that whole month. The mutant looked back at me, eyes darkened by some unknown feeling. His face was stoic, as usual, so I could not tell if he was angry with me or not. Part of me wanted to ask, part of me wanted to hide from him in my shame, and another side told me to run forward and embrace the mutant. Before I could act on any of these impulses, Stabber waved a hand as of to calm me.

"Have ta. Gonna find a way ta save ya." That stopped me in my mental tracks. I cocked my head, curious, and asked him how he planned to do that.

"I thought you said you didn't know anything way around the law?" At this, he snorted, an almost laugh.

"I'm gonna ask someone who would know." And, he left.

* * *

I was alone for a pretty decent amount of time before the door reopened. I sat up from toying with the edge of my pillow, expecting to see the large mutant who was with me most of the time, but instead, I was met with the partially grinning faces of Missy and Amber. The two women never failed to impress me; just the contrast between the two of them was enough to make one stare. One curveaceous Latina, all dark skin, dark hair, and even darker eyes; the other, a slender bodied, creamy skinned blonde with sky blue eyes. A smile, slightly askew, lifted my mouth and I waved half-heartedly.

"Hey!" They both greeted as the sat down next to me, successfully bouncing the the coverlets on the bed. Sitting up, I stuck my tongue out at them and scratched the back of my head. Missy asked me where Stabber was, as she worried about me being alone. I told her she wasn't alone in that fear.

"He said he was going to find a way to save me, then he just left." I explained, pouting. Missy scowled, looking puzzled.

"Save you?" She asked, "From what?"

"From Hades. Stabber wants to find a way to make sure Hades can't hurt me anymore. Something about the Clan law. He didn't say how he was going to do that." Amber scooted closer to me, a cheeky grin plastered on her full lips.

"Aww. Isn't that sweet of him? He wants to protect you. Like, your own guardian angel." I elbowed her, laughing quietly. Missy giggled at us and leaned back on her hands.

"So, he just left you here? That sure isn't like him." I stopped laughing and my eyes dropped to my hands.

"Well, he might have been a little upset with me when he left." At this, Amber was silenced as well. They both cast very serious glances at me.

"Why?" Amber asked softly. I sighed heavily and told them what had happened. I told them about how close Stabber had gotten to me, how afraid I was, and his reaction.

"So, he didn't hurt you, or anything. At least there's that." Missy fixed a stare to the ceiling. The three of us sat for a moment, all three pondering our own questions. Then, Amber turned back to me, a smile once again gracing her face.

"So, Rory, you said that Stabber almost kissed you? Bet you liked that!"

"No! Amber! I was scared! Terrified!"

"Terrified...that he was too good of a kisser and he was gonna make you look bad?" Missy laughed as I leapt on Amber, threatening her in a joking way with a split lip. All my feelings about Hades and Stabber were forgotten easily with these two women, these two friends of mine. We joked and laughed together for what felt like hours and then the door snapped open.

"Theyah ya are."

**Ooo! Cliffhanger! Sorry about that. I know that they can suck. But, yay suspense! So, hopefully this chapter wasn't too poor or boring. I had a hard time with this one. Stabber is SO hard for me to write. Ugh...well, okie dokie! Hope you all enjoy. Next one shouldn't take so long. Hehe...**


	7. Hidden

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hills Have Eyes or any of the characters from its universe. I only own Rory Sykes and the mutant OCs that appear over the next few chapters.**

**Welcome back! Now I can recover from that horrible cliffhanger. Hehe! Well, this chapter will be **_**rated M**_** for really bad language and creepy themes and scenes. :) New POV attempt. Brace yourselves!**

* * *

_What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well. -Antoine de Saint-Exupery_

* * *

The desert burned gold in the late afternoon, then black as the sun fell behind the mountains. It gave the desert an eerie beauty, one he rarely got to enjoy, or even notice. The temperature had dropped a good 15 degrees since he started out. Now, a slight chill skittered over his skin, though he barely reacted. His thoughts and eyes were on something else entirely.

He could see the path he had chosen in the small sliver of moonlight, but it did not make the climb any easier. The hill he had chosen to trek wasn't incredibly steep; the mutant had glanced at it and scoffed, thinking the climb almost _too _easy.

He grabbed onto a rock, hefting himself higher and almost slipping. The fine desert sand made the footing risky, so he made his way slowly to the top. As the mutant came to the ridge and growled, he reached up and popped his spine to relieve the ache that settled there. Looking around, he was met with nothing but the sight of more silver sands and desert, the hills stretching up and away into the base of the mountain. A terrible realization made the air catch in his throat. He might be lost, way out in the middle of what he had dubbed 'buttfuck nowhere' with no idea how to get where he needed to go and no provisions at all. Stabber knew what he was doing was not an incredibly wise decision. He had never been to the mountain; he'd had never been out of the mines for too long. He hung his head, mentally beating himself over it. 'Of all the stupid fuckin'...' He thought.

Thoughts of the girl came unbidden to his head and he lost himself in them. Her face, her voice, her body; he found himself missing her.

Stabber realized that he had left her alone and he become worried, thinking to go back to her. He should have known better than to leave her in the mines, with no protection. He had to go back. He would find another way around the Law, he promised himself.

He stood with a sigh, making to turn back down the hill but was stopped by a low sound behind him.

He froze, listening, as the sound bounced off the rocks, making it hard for him to pinpoint its origin. He put hands up, ready to fight, but as he turned, he was met with nothing. The sound, a soft chuckle, echoed behind him and he whipped around to face it. Nothing. A weed rustled to his left, while a rock slipped and clacked down the hillside on his right.

He began to grow impatient and he spit on the ground.

"Fightin' like a bitch, huh? Too afraid ta come out?" He barked and he paused, waiting for another sound. The slightly amused laughter rolled out again, this time much closer.

"Not afraid." Came a voice that seemed to slip over the ground and into his bones. Stabber scanned the darkness, hand straying to his cleaver handle. Silence followed, broken only by the occasional lonely call of a coyote or a rattle of a grass pod. Stabber straightened, swiveling his head to catch any sound. Then, a small scuffing sound made him turn quickly. Just at that moment, a quick disorienting pain shot through his neck and head and he collapsed. A blackness fell over his eyes and he heard the chuckle again, nearer this time. He tried to stand, to move at all, but his limbs would not respond. He snarled deep in his throat. It was all he could do. As he fell into unconsciousness, the voice spoke once more.

"Oh no...not afraid."

* * *

He awoke later, sore and confused. His vision was blurred and all he could see shadows in the dim light. Stabber tried to sit up, but his torso felt heavy, almost like he would be pulled through the floor. He moaned lowly, a deep ache making itself apparent in his neck. The mutant's head throbbed in time with his heartbeat and he raised a hand, clumsily, to his forehead, closing his eyes and inhaling through his nose. He never remembered being so uncomfortable in his life. Then, a familiar scuffing sound snapped him out of his thoughts.

The sound grew close, off to his right, and was accompanied by a quiet voice. The voice was low and he couldn't make out any words, but it did not hold any threat, so Stabber relaxed. Whoever the sound came from drew closer still, but now the voice addressed him.

"...er. Don't move. Ain't smart, ya kna?" The prone mutant found himself wanting to move just to spite the voice, but he knew that his body couldn't handle the strain. He settled for asking where he was, though it came out slurred and broken, more like 'Whrr m ah'. The voice laughed a little, making Stabber burn with anger, but then a cold hand settled on his chest.

"Yer where ya tried ta be." The answer was vague, cryptic, and Stabber felt a vein pulsing above his eye. He bit his tongue and distracted himself with the blood to keep from yelling. The person laughed again and removed his, or her, hand from the mutant.

"And where, exactleh, was I tryin' ta be?" His speech, and head, became clearer as he gained his bearings.

"Ya dun kna? Huh...maybeh I hit ya too hard." The person sounded concerned, but a touch of humour brightened the voice. Stabber sighed through his nose. This person, whoever they were, was starting to grind on his nerves.

"Nah, I know where I was tryin' ta get. The mountain. Is that where I am?" He spoke as calmly as his almost snapped temper would allow.

"Yea'. Yer there. Now, I gotta question fo yoo." The word question was spoken in overly enunciated syllables, so it came out as 'quest-chee-own'. "What yoo lookin' for up here in tha mountain? None a yer clan ever come up heyah." Stabber stayed silent for a good long moment, unsure whether or not to trust this person. He bit the inside of his cheek, eyes adjusting to the light and finding the speaker. He instantly knew the face, the sharp cheeks, the thin lips and odd mutation. He almost surged up off the surface he was laying on, but he settled for propping himself up on his arms.

"Ya know why, Cerberus, ya lil shit."

"Nah, I don't." The younger mutant said, almost laughing. He leaned against the wall, grinning stupidly. "But, I tell ya who does. That's why ya came, innit? Ta see 'im? Ta get answers?"

The larger mutant nodded once. Cerberus giggled, a little crazy sound, and beckoned to him.

"Come on, then! Ah take ya to 'im, yessir!" Stabber stood slowly and followed the boy, who led him through what seemed to be a tunnel that wound up into a large building.

The building consisted of a one very large room, with arched mirrors in place of windows. It was dark. Red candles and a few lanterns illuminated the quiet white walls. Stabber followed the boy, glancing around him and rubbing his head, the ache still present in his temples and neck. They passed through the room, picking their way through pew-like seating in various stages of disarray. Mannequins were leaning against the walls, their permanent smiles and expressions of carefree living marred by streaks of dirt. Some were missing legs, others just chunks out of their arms and faces, reminding Stabber of himself. There was one of a child, a young girl. Her eyes had been smudged away, now just smears on her grinning face. He could almost hear her laughter echo in the cold silence of the building and it made a pit form in his gut.

Stabber let his mind drift again, to better things, noting the utter difference between this place and his home. He found himself slightly homesick and agoraphobic*. He shook himself and asked the other where they were going.

A large smile tugged at the boy's face and he turned his head slightly to peer at Stabber.

"Oh, dun worry. Yull see." With that, he giggled to himself, scratching at the mutation on his head. Stabber grew wary and made some distance from Cerberus by slowing his pace.

They veered from the large room through a small entryway and came into another area, this one even more dimly lit than the last. Stabber stopped a pace or two into the room, narrowing his eyes as Cerberus kept walking in.

"Wha' is this? Tha hell, Cerberus?" He questioned, his tone one of mistrust. The younger mutant just kept moving until he was swallowed by the shadows at the end of the room. His giggle was all that marked his presence in the room at all. The laughter was strung out, tapering off in a small gasp. Then, complete and utter quiet fell upon the room. Stabber swallowed and stared into the black where Cerberus had vanished. He didn't dare to speak. He felt as though his voice would shatter the building and bring it down upon him. A moment ticked by, then the soundless daze was broken.

"Why have you come?" The voice was soft and pronunciation keen. Stabber recognized it, though he could not place it. He strained to see who it was that spoke so eloquently, as it certainly wasn't Cerberus who spoke. This voice was different. It was smooth as sand, but held a strong bass to it, drumming deep in the throat.

"Who are ya?" Stabber asked the voice, a little anger trickling into his own voice as a result of his shaken nerves. An exasperated sigh came from the voice before answering.

"Must you answer my question with one of your own? Especially since you already know that answer." Stabber paused, everything clicking into place. His silver eyes widened and the breath was stolen from him. Suddenly, he forgot how to speak, so he stood there, mouth open like a dead fish for an immeasurable amount of time.

"Now, now, no need to stare. I know why you are here. You have questions for me, about Laws, is that correct?"

"Yes." Was all Stabber could manage to say. The voice from the darkness _hmm_ed quietly before speaking again.

"You may ask. What do you wish to know?"

Stabber dropped his gaze to his boots, unsure how to ask what he wanted to know. Part of him was insatiably curious about the Laws and hoped and prayed for there to be an easy answer around the Law of Claiming. 'Maybe there will be a debate, like she said.' He thought, the memory almost making him grin. Then, the other part of him brought down his mood and made him sick. He began wondering if there was even a way around the Law. If there wasn't, then he would lose her. He couldn't bear the thought of what Hades would do to her. He had seen the damage he could do and Stabber swore he wouldn't let that happen to Rory.

"Do you have a question or not? Because if not, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't waste my time." The slightly annoyed tone brought him out of his reverie. He glanced back up and braced himself.

"I want ta know...if there is any way aroun' the Clan Law of Claiming. I mean, is there a way fo me ta claim a mate if she is already claimed by anotha' person." He felt lighter as the question left his lips and he breathed deeply, waiting. The answer did not come right away. The voice didn't leave the blackness for a long while. When it finally did speak, it was even softer than before.

"You wish to take a mate for yourself, regardless of the fact the Clan Leader had already taken her for himself. Is that about right?"

"Yes." Stabber felt a surge of hope alight in his bones and he eagerly waited for his answer.

"To do so..." The voice paused and a rattling breath shook from the shadows, "would be a serious offense, you know." The hope vanished, replaced with fear and worry. The voice continued.

"To take a mate, one must be of a high enough standing with the Clans. Who are you to take a mate for yourself? What have you done to _deserve _one." Stabber bit his lip, snarling under his breath.

"Deserve one? I have ta earn mah right to a mate?" He spoke, vicious and livid. "How is that fair? How do ya measure worth?!"

"Worth, in this case, is measured in genes. The Leaders of each Clan are given the right automatically because they have the ability to survive in their blood. They have held on through horrible situations, both external and internal. We need to pass this down if we are to continue the Clans. The right to a mate falls to the Leaders by default, then to their children, and if that fails, it falls to the rest of the Clan members."

Stabber shut his mouth and glared into the darkness. He wasn't sure what emotion he felt more of at that moment. Anger and frustration battled with sadness and hopelessness, which was coupled with an overwhelming feeling of envy.

"Genes? The ability ta pass down strength and longevity? Then, it would be bad if a Leader couldn' reproduce that in 'is kids. Is tha' right?"

"Correct." The voice had a different tone this time. It almost sounded scrutinizing, as if warranting an explanation. It gave Stabber an idea.

"Well, then you should know tha' Hades can't breed anymo'." The voice was silent, and if Stabber could have seen the speaker he would see that the face was distraught and confused.

"What? What is this you speak of?"

"Tha's righ'. A healthy baby hasn' been born in mah Clan fo ye-ahs. Shit, one hasn' even lived mo than 3 months. Our Clan is dwindlin' with no babies to bring our numbahs back up."

"Hades...?"

Stabber felt an almost sick sense of satisfaction as he divulged this to the Law Keeper. The voice had gone quiet again, but the mutant could sense the feeling in the room shift. Where he had been the one almost quaking, now the Keeper was the one left to wallow in his questions and lack of awareness. Stabber felt suddenly cold and he backed away a step.

"Is this the truth?" Said the voice, the tone now one of malice. Stabber nodded and crossed his arms.

"Yea'. Every word. Though you woulda known, bein' as yer the one that keeps everythin' in order."

"Shut up!" The shout startled Stabber, who had grown used to the quiet gentleness it held previously. He noticed that the voice changed slightly, in more than tone, but in timber. Where it was soft and almost ancient sounding before, like the opening of a old book with a warped spine, now it was rough and youthful, almost like his own. Then, it changed once more, back to the handsome well-spoken voice.

"This is terrible news, Stabber. I am glad that you have told me, but I need to look into this. If what you say is true, then the Law will be adjusted to fit your situation."

A small smile tugged at his mouth at the small victory and he bowed slightly in the direction of the voice.

"Thank ya! Ah'll go back and..."

"No, you won't." The voice cut him off, clear and abrupt. The words made him nervous once more and he felt all feeling of victory leave him.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, Stabber, but I cannot let you leave. Not until I access the situation."

"Why?" A laugh, simple, came forth. It held no humour.

"I can't have you putting anyone else in danger because of your knowledge in this. You must remain here until I confirm your story. You must understand."

"No, no! I don' understand. Why don' cha make me?" The words were disrespectful, but he didn't care anymore. The Keeper spoke again, this time sounding exasperated.

"It is as I have said. You came to me with this problem. This makes you an important part in all of this. If you go back, Hades will know you came to me. He could try and kill you or the woman you are fighting for. It would cause a huge rift in the Clan. It might even roll over into the other Clans. Please, be reasonable Stabber."

The angry mutant frowned deeply and shook his head.

"No, I can't be reasonable. I ain't leavin' her ta be destroyed by Hades anotha time. You can come with me, but I sure as hell ain't stayin' here." He turned to leave with a snort, but then an all-too-familiar stab of pain shot down his spine from his neck. He fell to his knees, the hard floor jolting his kneecaps. As he fell forward, eyes clouding with black once more, he heard a creepy little laugh. It grew close, even as his hearing failed, and another voice came with it.

"Ya gotta stay, mah brotha. No leavin' fo yoo. Hee hee...no, no leavin'."

* * *

***agoraphobic- afraid of large, crowded, or enclosed public spaces,  
**

**All done. I actually loved writing this chapter! I really hope you guys and gals like this chapter, at least as much as I did. :) Review please! The reviews keep me going, they do, they do, they do-oo!**


	8. Speed

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hills Have Eyes or any of the characters in the universe. I only own Rory Sykes and the mutant OCs that appear in the following chapters.**

**Thank you all for your great reviews! A special shout out to **_**Berry'sAmbitions**_**, who makes me feel good about my writing no matter what! You're the best! And sorry about that cliffhanger, sheila! . **

**Anyway, on with Watch Me! Same POV as the last one! Rated T for language and sexually perverse stuff.**

* * *

_In skating over thin ice our safety is in our speed. -Ralph Waldo Emerson_

* * *

She thought she should feel excited at finally being able to see the outside of her room, but as she was rushed through the winding tunnels, she could only focus on her own fear. The speed at which she was dragged made her legs hurt and her lungs burn and her mind raced just as fast. She wanted badly to ask what was going on, and where she was going, but the chance never came. So, she settled for relaxing the arm that was held in a vice grip and letting herself be tugged along.

Rory set her gaze onto Letch's back, glaring slightly at the worn military jacket. The sleeves were removed, torn more like, and his arms were sinewy and thick. Small tumors speckled his biceps and shoulders, much like his brother Chameleon's, giving him rough looking flesh.

Rory stumbled slightly, gasping, and she tried again to pull her arm from Letch's grasp.

"Let go! Please, where are we going?" She pleaded, trying to keep the fear from her voice. Letch just snorted and pulled her closer, rounding a corner and entering a rather large room. There were mine tracks that led into and out of the room. A small abandoned cart sat nearby, dusty and old. Rory yelped as Letch threw her from behind himself to the front with a growl. She turned to face him, very much afraid of him. They had never gotten along and she wasn't sure that he wouldn't hurt her if given the chance. She backed away from him, watching his movements, eying him.

"What do you want, Letch?" She tried to sound sure of herself, but her voice cracked slightly and her resolve crumbled with it. The young woman was shaking as she waited for the mutant to answer. When he did, his voice was more of an animal sound then one of a human.

"What did you say to 'im?" He demanded, staring her down as if to bury her on the spot.

"I don't understand. Say? And, who are you talking about?" She babbled, utterly lost and trying desperately to understand. The mutant spit on the ground and growled loudly.

"Don't lie ta me, girl! . ?!" The large man stepped closer, his voice hardening in his apparent fury. Rory shook her head, not understanding him, and licked her lips.

"Who? I don't know who you're talking about." She spoke as calmly as she could so as not to further aggravate the mutant.

"Stabber, ya dumb ass! You said somethin'. Somethin' that made 'im leave the mines. What was it?" His voice rose to a shout at the end, making Rory wince. She tried to remember what she could have said. She hadn't even realized that Stabber had left the mines. Her mind flicked through the last conversation she had with him. '...I'm gonna talk to someone who knows.' Her eyes widened as she remembered his words. Letch had gotten closer, now looming over her, complete and total fury in his sharp eyes.

"Wait, wait! I think...I think I might know where he is!" The woman brought her hands up to chest level, palms out in an attempt to calm Letch. At her words, the big mutant stopped and stared into her eyes, waiting. Rory gulped and breathed deeply to steady herself. "He said he was going to talk to someone about the laws. He wants to claim me from Hades, I think. I don't fully under..."

"Shut up, girl. I get it." She shut her mouth with a click. The large mutant ran a hand over his face and snorted a short laugh. "What a fuckin' idiot." If she wasn't confused before, she was definitely puzzled now.

"I don't...understand. Letch..." She quietly expressed her confusion, fiddling with her pinky. Letch turned to her and his expression softened a margin.

"You, girl...I don't know wha' he sees in you," Rory frowned at the subtle insult, "But whateveh it is, it must be enough ta make 'im bring war ta Hades."

"Bring...war..." Rory mumbled, her mind piecing together just what he had said. Before she could have him clarify, Missy and Amber ran into the room, panting harshly. They skidded to a halt a few feet from them.

"Letch, what are you doing?" Amber hissed, putting herself between him and Rory. Missy came up on her six and asked her quietly if she was alright. Rory nodded, eyes not leaving Letch and Amber as they spoke in hushed voices. Amber looked a bit mad, gesturing violently at Rory and Letch bared his teeth back at her. The Latina woman left Rory's side for a moment to go and speak with them as well. Her own movements were calmer than Amber's, but a ferocity was in her dark eyes. The mutant crossed his arms and his voice rose again as he exchanged words with the smaller person. Rory caught snippets of words here and there, but nothing that would tell her what they were speaking of.

"Excuse me?" She ventured, a tiny sound that went unnoticed by the group. She tried again, a bit louder, then, in her annoyance at being ignored, brought her voice to an almost shout. "Hey!" Letch glanced at her, eyes narrowed, but not in anger or hate. The two women looked to her with confusion, though the levels of said emotion varied on their faces.

"I'm sorry, I don't wanna be rude or anything, but what is going on? Seriously, I'm really lost." She crossed her own bare arms and frowned. Her tone spoke that she didn't like being kept in the dark. The mutant stared at her for a moment more before relaxing his stance and approaching her again. His steps were long and slow, but soon he stood before Rory once more. He looked down at the young woman and spoke in a quiet tone.

"Do you have any idea what Stabber plans ta do?" It wasn't really a question, so Rory kept her mouth shut. "Ta break a Clan law, 'specially one this old and bindin'...it's serious. If Stabber means ta do this, then he will be bringin' Hades down on both o' ya. I don't even know if there is a way..." The last part was spoken more to himself than to Rory.

The young woman let her mind race, processing what he told her. She wasn't aware that the repercussions of what Stabber was trying to do would be so great.

"I don't want war..." She started, gaze falling to the sandy floor. Silence slunk through the room for a few seconds, "I just...I want to go home." At that, she looked up, pleadingly, at Letch. His usually hard eyes had softened even further and he looked back at Amber.

The blonde woman moved to his side and touched Rory's elbow, sympathetically. Missy followed her and tried to smile at the young woman, who had tears in her hazel eyes.

"Please..." She said, softly, "Can't I just go home? I won't be a bother, I swear. I won't tell anyone what happened and that you're out here. Please, I..." Sobs halted her speech and made her shake. Amber hugged her gently, shushing her and petting her hair. Letch moved away, unsure what to do. The women stayed huddled for a minute before Letch spoke up once again.

"Ya can't stay heyah." Rory stopped crying instantly and looked at him, wide eyed. Amber gave her lover a puzzled look and cocked her head, trying to understand. "Ya can't stay without Stabber's protection. Hades'll come fo ya and...well, we all know wha' happens then." His words made Missy and Rory shudder at the memories and the younger woman began to shake again.

"What...what do we do, then?" Letch studied her for what felt like hours before seeming to come to a conclusion.

"We move you."

"What?!" Was the mutual response from the three women. Letch shot them a glare, silencing them.

"She needs ta be somewhere safe. Somewhere Hades won't come lookin' fo her. At least until Stabber gets back." He looked thoughtful. It was an expression that Rory had never seen on Letch's face. His eyebrows pulled together and his gray-green eyes were distant. Rory hadn't a clue what he was talking about. 'Somewhere safe? Is there such a place anymore?' She wished that there was a place like that, a safe haven for her from all the evil in this rotting hellhole. Just as her thoughts were turning to a mope, Missy gasped. Amber and Rory both jumped, startled, and Letch simply glanced to her, eyes almost uncaring.

"I've got it!" She sounded very positive, lifting the youngest woman's spirits.

"Yea'? Wha' then?" Letch spoke with a slight skepticism in his voice. Missy glared at his tone before continuing.

"I suggest we take her to Jupiter. I mean, Clyde is safe there. Why can't she stay there?"

"Wait, wait, what? Jupiter? Who is that?" Rory questioned, eyes slipping from face to face.

"Tha' might work, Martinez, but how do you git her there?" Letch sneered.

"Well...we could sneak her out. Like, distract Hades with something else while we slip out past Hansel."

"Wha' if he catches on?" Missy didn't respond. Her face remained stubbornly determined, but her eyes wavered. Letch nodded once and turned his face to the ceiling.

"Jupe's place might be her only chance, but gettin' her there is tricky." He spoke softly, as if to himself. "It would have ta be a reason good enough ta let her go. Her injuries..."

"But, I'm all fixed up. Stabber said so." Rory objected, frowning.

"Yea', but Hades don' know that." Then, Amber jumped into the conversation.

"That might work! Tell Hades that her injuries are too extensive to be treated here. Or, maybe the cold damp of the mines is making her worse. It would let us move her without raising suspicion." Letch nodded again and looked to Rory.

"How fast can you be ready? I wanna get ya there as soon as I can."

"I can ready in a few minutes. But, first, I want to know what the plan is. I'm completely lost."

A sigh. "Okay, so Martinez told ya abou' where her son is, right?"

"Right."

"Hades lets her leave ta go and see him twice a month. It's almost tha' time anyways. I'm gonna tell Pa that ya can't get better down here, so he'll let ya leave ta Jupe's. With me?"

"Yup."

"Good. So, when I bring ya ta Jupe's, Martinez and Ambah can stay with ya until Stabber gets back."

"Okay. Sounds like a plan. Just...one question?" Letch bobbed his head, a signal for her to continue.

"I'm not walking outta here, am I?"

* * *

Missy and Amber walked briskly back to Rory's small room, with the young woman in tow. They entered and began shifting through the pile of mismatched clothes that Stabber had left her. Missy threw a pair of ragged old jeans and a large gray t-shirt at Rory.

"Change." It sounded like an order so she didn't argue. She slipped out of her filthy khakis and into the black pants. They were a bit cold but they fit. The shirt slipped over the small tank top she already wore. Once she finished, Missy bade her to sit on the bed. Rory did so, making the old thing creak. Amber walked over and whipped out a small compact for makeup. Rory almost laughed at its absurd place in all this, but held it back as Amber began applying it to her eyes and neck.

"What are you doing?" The younger woman asked around each brushstroke.

"I'm making you look beat up. Bruises under your eyes and on your neck. Missy will put bandages on and stuff." Rory coughed as the blonde applied a white powder to her lips. The Latina woman came over with one arm around a bundle of bandages and the other gripping a water bottle. With the linens wrapped over her ribs and the makeup, Rory felt strange and almost silly.

"Now what?"

"Now? Follow us." Missy snagged her by the arm and dragged her right back out, Amber close on their heels. "We are going to go meet Letch and then we are leaving."

"Has he spoken to Hades yet?" The look that passed over Missy's face over Rory's shoulder to Amber spoke volumes. 'Shit...' Rory thought. She was suddenly nervous and she felt cold. The women twisted through the tunnels and came upon another tiny room, similar to Rory's current one. Letch was leaning against the wall, seeming calm and collected despite the situation. Once they entered, however, he stood straight and walked forward. Seriousness coated all of him, seeping from him. Even his frown seemed to frown.

"We good?"

"Yes. We'll follow your lead." Amber said, touching his arm gently. He looked down at her and, surprisingly, smiled a small twitch of a smile at her. Letch's eyes filled with a miniscule warmth as he met her gaze and a hand came up to touch her shoulder in a brief caress. Then, the moment passed. The mutant glanced back up and his features became stern once more.

"Let's go, then. We need to move." He approached Rory, slowly. He stood before her, looking her over. He laid a rough hand against her ribs where the bandages were and chuckled lowly. The smaller person cocked her head.

"What?"

"You look terrible." She grinned, nervously. Letch then bent at the knees and scooped her into his arms with one swift movement. She made a startled little sound, something between a yelp and a peep, and grabbed the front of his jacket. Being this close to him was strange to her. His body radiated heat into her arms and legs where he held her. She could feel how strong he was. Every movement made the muscles in his chest and arms ripple. She thought that he would smell like death, like his father did, but Rory was pleasantly surprised when the smell of dirt and chamisa hit her nose. She sneezed. Then, she looked Letch in the eyes and asked him what he was doing.

"If yer hurt, ya can't walk outta here. We gotta make this look convincin'."

"Oh."

"Righ'. So..." He smirked down at her, "Play dead."

Rory looked at him blankly. 'Play dead?' He rolled his eyes and shook her slightly, making her rock in his arms.

"Go on. Ya gotta look dead...or almost dead."

"Oh...okay." Rory shifted a bit, getting comfortable, before slowly going limp.

She let her head drift back to hang over his forearm. Her hair slid back and hung down from her scalp like red-brown moss from a tree. She laid one arm over her stomach and dropped the other to her side, the fingers and palm facing up. She closed her hazel eyes and exhaled slowly as the rest of her muscles relaxed.

"Wow." Came Amber's voice.

"What?" Rory said without opening her eyes.

"You look very dead." She replied, a smile in her voice. Then, someone slipped something very cold under her back, causing her to arch her back.

"Crap! That's fucking cold!" She hissed, reaching for the item.

"No, leave it!" Missy spoke up. "It will make you shiver. It's supposed to make you look even more sick."

"Gotcha." Rory settled back into Letch's grip, flinching for a second before going limp once more. Letch started walking, causing Rory to start slightly.

"Easy." Letch's voice from above her was calm and quiet. He kept moving and Rory found her mind wandering as the motion rocked her into an almost sleep. She heard another set of footsteps and assumed that Missy and Amber were following behind them.

She felt a bit giddy, being carried bridal style, even if it was to a place she'd never been. 'I'm going to love getting married.' She thought to herself. Letch walked for what seemed like an eternity, not talking, barely making any sound at all. All Rory could hear was the scuffing of his boots on the dusty floor of the tunnel. Every so often, a light would cross over her eyelids and made her see red. She counted 52 lights before Letch stiffened. The movement of his walking stopped and she heard Missy and Amber hiss in small breaths. She almost asked what was going on when a stench assaulted her nostrils with a violence that made her choke. It was musky, thick and raunchy and it made her think of roadkill. The smell was cloying, sticking the insides of her nose and throat and she knew suddenly that it was familiar. Rory wracked her mind for a millisecond before she realized with horror where she knew that stench from.

It was the monster that haunted her dreams, the man who destroyed her. The creature whose very existence was a cancer and a sickening excuse.

Hades.

Rory nearly leaped from Letch's arms, panic flooding her veins and making her throat clench painfully. Her mind screamed at the mutant and the women, thinking that they had tricked her and were giving her over to Hades. The smell got stronger, signaling the monster's approach, and Rory fought even harder against the urge to flee. Her stomach roiled, threatening to make her vomit. The shiver from the cold of the bottle became an all out quaking, her hands and shoulders trembling. As the fear crept back into her body, the mutant tightened his grip on her as if to reassure her.

"Pa." Letch spoke with something akin to loathing in his voice. The sound that followed was laced with malice and rumbled forth like thunder on the tails of a storm.

"Boy...wha' are ya doin'? Takin' mah bitch from me? Didn't expect tha of ya." The word he used made Rory's temper flare. 'I'm not his _bitch_.' She thought, furiously.

"No, Pa. I'm takin' her ta Jupitah." A startled grunt at this.

"Wha'?"

"She is dyin'. You hurt her and now she can't get bettah. It's the cold of the mines, Pa. Makin' her sick." A silence followed his words. Rory hoped that Hades would buy the lie. She prayed that he would believe his eldest son and let them pass. 'Please please please.' She begged silently.

"Cold?" The monster's booming voice was closer now. Rory didn't even hear him move.

"Yea'. See, she's shakin'." At that, a hand touched her. She almost jumped out of her skin in her fear. Her heart raced, pounding against her sternum. The hand was tough feeling, like concrete, and it laid on her shoulder with a weight that made her nervous. She didn't resist the shudders that came, letting it act for her. The hand trailed down to her neck, then further to her chest. It came to a stop right between her breasts, over the fierce beating there.

"She out cold?" Hades asked, skepticism replacing the anger in his voice. Rory panicked, realizing that her heart rate was giving her away and tried to think of a way to slow it down. Before she could come up with anything, Letch caught the loose end.

"Yea'. Her heart is beatin' like that because her body is shuttin' down. I need ta get her out if you wanna use her for breedin'." Rory almost sighed in relief, but settled for thanking Letch in her head for his quick answer. Hades left his hand where it was, breathing heavily on her face. Moments slid by, too slowly for Rory's comfort. Then, he chuckled darkly, a low, scary sound. The hand moved and Rory thought for a second that they were in the clear, but, to her sheer horror, it slipped under the collar of her shirt. Hades' skin was too warm against her chilled flesh. She could feel the callouses bump over her collar bones as he touched her. His hand moved over her right breast, gripping it in a perverse fashion. He kneaded it, painfully, and chuckled again. He then removed his hand and it was quiet once more.

Rory felt dirtied, soiled and disgusting. She could just imagine the trail of mud and slime that his hand left. She held back tears and focused on the blood rushing to her head.

"Go. Bring her back as soon as she's bettah. Can't wait ta fuck her like the bitch she is." The sentence was spoken with mirth, almost as is he was teasing. Letch held her a bit closer and began walking again, moving past the smell and back down the tunnel.

"Boy." Hades voice rang out again, stopping Letch in his tracks.

"Yea', Pa?"

"If I find out yer fuckin' wit' me...or her...Ah'll have yer head."

"I hear ya, Pa."

"Then, Ah'll take yer bitch fer my own. Love them blondes." Letch's arms tightened around her even further, squeezing her. He didn't speak again, but instead continued walking. His movements were a bit more rushed than before. Rory assumed that he wanted to get away from his father as much as she did. She remained limp in his arms until she heard Missy talking softly behind him. She ventured a peek, cracking open an eye to peer around. The tunnel ceiling was dark brown, almost black, and every five steps a little light was set into the wall. She looked at Letch's face, noticing the set of his jaw and the intensity of his eyes. She chose to stay quiet and instead leaned on his shoulder, loosing herself in thought.

Her mind wandered to brighter days, to long nights with friends and laughter in the sunlight. She remembered her first horse ride, on a Quarter horse named Prince, and how she immediately fell in love with the feeling it gave her. She smiled to herself. That freedom was something she was sure she would never feel again, so she held on to it and kept it to herself.

During her musings, the small group had made it to some sort of short hallway, almost completely dark save for a small highlight coming from the end of the hall. Rory lifted her head and blinked in the dark, trying to see where the light came from.

"Letch?" Amber spoke quietly from behind. "I can't see." Letch stopped and turned slightly, calling over his shoulder.

"Don't move. It will be bright soon." With that, he moved forward a few more steps. He bent and placed Rory's feet on the floor, not bothering to help her balance as she stumbled a bit. "Stay." He told her.

"Yes sir." Rory muttered, rubbing her arm. Letch snorted and moved away. A metallic sound like something old being moved over rust and dirt rang through the hall. Rory stood motionless, listening and trying to warm up. Amber and Missy hadn't walked up yet, either. She felt a bit afraid with no one near her and she shivered again. The metal on metal sound stilled for a moment before Letch grunted loudly. Then, a creaking sound accompanied by a suddenly blinding white light made Rory shut her eyes quickly and hold an arm over her face.

"Shit, Letch. Blind us, why don't you." Missy said, irritated. Letch scoffed.

"Whatevah. Yer fine." He replied, sounding equally annoyed. Rory opened her eyes behind her uplifted arm to try and figure out what happened. She could see a door sitting open and Letch standing nearby. The light poured from the other side of the door. The young woman glanced behind her to see the other two women coming to join her. She turned her head back to the doorway.

"Letch? Is that...is that the way out?" Rory stuttered, cautiously. The mutant gave her a look, a look that said 'No fucking shit' and nodded. She bobbed her head in understanding and stepped forward. Missy had come up behind her and she took place beside her as she walked. Rory met her eyes and grinned nervously. She reached for the older woman's hand, grasping for the long fingers and at the same time, grasping for support. She was scared of what was going to happen once she set foot outside. She hadn't been out in so long, hadn't seen the sun in what felt like forever. Part of her yearned to go outside and feel the fresh air on her skin. Part of her wanted to flee the moment she saw the hills and never look back, but she found herself unable to act on those thoughts. The comfort she had found during the past month was enough to make her consider staying. The moment she thought of it she was surprised at herself for thinking that. 'Maybe this is the same process Missy went through.' Rory thought. 'Only...she was in love.'

She stopped herself there, shaking her head and gripping Missy's hand just a little harder. The Latina woman squeezed back reassuringly. Amber patted her shoulder as they passed Letch, stepping into the sunlight. It grew even brighter, causing Rory to squint. A too hot breeze blew against her face, pushing her dirty hair away from her face. The wind brought the tickling aroma of bitterbrush and juniper to her nose. It was a welcome change to the damp mud smell that seemed a constant in the mines. She breathed deeply, relishing it the change.

"I can't believe it." Her words were whispered, meant for herself more than anybody else, but Amber looked to her anyways. The young woman scanned the desert, viewing the rolling beige of the hills as they up and away into the distance. There were little specks of green and yellow on the dunes where plants were resilient enough to grow. A bird actually flew near as well, a small gray-blue jay who twittered and sang as he fluttered past. The sky was a pastel blue, almost white, and the silver clouds were fluffy like wool and they seemed to barely move in the expanse of sky.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Missy spoke very close to her, also looking off into the desert. Rory couldn't tear her eyes away from the scenery as she answered.

"Yeah. So pretty. Like a painting, you know?"

"After all you've been through...is there anything more stunning than nature? So simple, so strong and perfect, full of things growing and living."

"Nothing compares." Rory had never felt closer to a human being than right at that moment. She had forgotten how good it felt to just exist in a moment in time. She gripped her friend's hand a bit tighter and sniffed back tears before asking Letch about what his plan was.

"Plan? Well, we head ta Jupe's. That's it. We walk on for a day or so till we get ta the houses."

"Houses? There's houses...out here?" He gave her _that_ look again, making her feel like an idiot.

"Yea'. Down tha' path there. Go on." He gestured to a narrow path through the sand, leading down the side of the hill. It wrapped around into the shade and, if she really looked, she could see it winding towards another set of small mountain-like dunes. Amber walked ahead of them, stepping carefully down the rocky path. Rory followed, a bracing hand on the wall. Missy and Letch came after, the latter of the two stepping with practiced ease. The heat was already sinking into Rory's back and making her sweat. The contrast to the chill of the mines was intense. She wiped a hand over her forehead and trudged on, nearly stumbling a few times. Rory glanced up to the sky, mapping the position of the piercing yellow globe with a sigh. 'This is going to be a very long walk.' She thought with dread.

'Damn this heat.'

* * *

**There it is. Chapter 8, oh yeah. Done. This took me a long time, but I'm decently pleased with the results. Hopefully no one was too blah in this chapter. I know Missy is not supposed to be much of a friend maker, but I think that she and Rory are close because of the shared trauma. **

**Review please! It makes me happy and it brings more chaps! :D Chaps chaps chaps. **


	9. Sanctuary

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Hills Have Eyes. I only own Rory and any mutant OCs that appear in this story.**

**Back with more Watch Me! Excited for this one, I am! Oh, aye, can't wait! Let's do this! Switching back to 1st person POV.**

**Rated T for language and sexually perverse stuff.**

* * *

_"Sanctuary, on a personal level, is where we perform the job of taking care of our soul." Christopher Forrest McDowell_

* * *

I was right. The walk, if it could be called that, was long. Very long. We had been walking for a half a day, according to Letch. The sand got into my shoes and stayed in between my toes, pissing me off to no end. I cursed the heat, which was still present despite the lowering level of the sun, but I didn't speak a word of my discomfort. 'What kind of country girl would I be if I couldn't handle a bit of heat?' I thought, bitterly. The thought was a failed attempt to bolster my morale. Instead, it just made me grumble to no one in particular. I glanced back to Missy. The older woman had a very serious look on her face, eyebrows knitted together and lips pursed into a flat line. Behind her, Letch walked slowly, not even looking at the path. His gaze was focused behind the group, watching for something. I didn't even want to think of what it was he was waiting for.

My foot settled on the wrong side of a rock, causing me to slip slightly. I swore and scowled at the small stone as it bounced down over the cliff side. Letch laughed at me from where he stood.

"Don' blame the rock for your clumsy walkin'." I pouted at that and threw him a glare.

"It's not my fault the rock was plotting against me." The excuse just made him laugh more. I huffed and continued after Amber, who had made some distance on me during the little slip. I practically slid down the rest of the path towards her, rocking my hips to lessen the chance of me falling.

Once at the bottom, I stopped in the shade of a large rock outcropping. I groaned slightly at the lovely change in temperatures and paused for a minute to pop my back.

"I can't believe how far this walk is! What time do you think we'll get there?" Letch caught up to me, sneering at my question.

"Early dawn if we keep walkin'. Maybe 9 more hours if we're lucky." I groaned again, leaning my head against the stone. I wasn't much of a hiker and I really didn't want to walk for such a long time. Amber moved to the mutant's side and kissed his neck, right under his ear.

"Maybe we should take a break, L. Rory hasn't been out and this active in a long time. It's taking a toll on her." Letch frowned as he looked at me. I smiled wryly at him without removing my forehead from the cool rock. He met Amber's gaze once more and sighed, defeated.

"Alrigh'. Ya got 10 minutes. Then, we go." I almost cheered in my happiness at those words, but I settled for slumping to the ground and closing my eyes. With my sight gone, I could suddenly hear all the sounds around me. A bird called and the wind made the granules of sand hiss across one another and caused the weeds to crackle. I sighed and relaxed my muscles. The rest of the ten minutes was spent quietly, no one speaking as we rested in the shade. Letch got us up and moving too quickly for my taste. I stood, bones cracking and stretched down to touch my toes.

"Let's go, then." Missy turned to the path and stepped down it. The hill ended and flattened after a few feet, much to my delight. It made the walking a bit easier on my muscles. I settled my gaze on the ground and let my thoughts keep me occupied as we hiked on.

The sun dropped lower and finally slipped behind the mountains. The purple low light painted the sands and the cool evening air was most welcome. I found my eyes adjusting rather well to the dark. I could see Missy's outline well enough in front of me and I could hear Amber and Letch behind. Once the dusky light vanished to be replaced with the silvery glow of the waxing moon, Letch took the lead, explaining that he knew the way and could see better in the darkness. Missy took up position at my side and Amber moved a bit closer to my back. Their bodies warded off the chill that was setting in and I took comfort in their closeness. I turned to Missy.

"So, you said you've been there before. Your son is there?" I whispered.

"Yeah, that's right. He is safer there. Why?"

"Oh, I'm just curious. I want to know what to prepare for." Letch must have overheard because he chuckled under his breath.

"Well, just as a heads up, Lizard is not the friendliest of people. Really, everyone else is fine, but you might want to avoid pissing him off." Amber poked her head around my shoulder to speak. I almost laughed at the name. 'Lizard? Seems like strange names are definitely a theme with this group.'

"What is he like?"

"What's he like? Try nasty and egotistical." Amber laughed quietly and bumped Missy with her elbow. The Latina smiled and shook her head.

"Cut him some slack, Amber. He is better around Brenda." I look at her incredulously.

"Wait, who's Brenda?" I assumed she was speaking of another mutant. She met my eyes again.

"Brenda is a young woman, like yourself, who lives with Jupiter's Clan. She is...well, dating is the word I guess, Lizard."

"Geez, how many outsiders live with the Clans?"

"You, Brenda, baby Catherine, Bobby, Missy and myself." Amber spoke from behind me. I wrapped my arms around myself and blew out a breath.

"Well, I'm feeling less and less 'one of a kind' now." I joked. Missy rolled her eyes while Amber smirked. I heard Letch grumble and he turned to the side, spitting loudly.

"Keep it down back theyah." His tone silenced us all, except Amber who _awww'd_ and stuck her tongue out at his back. The rest of the walk was silent, save for the scuff of our shoes and my occasional breathy curse.

The hard dark of night was broken hours later by the yellow eye of the sun. It tinted the sky a murky green at first, but soon it flooded with purples and pinks. It was pretty, that's for sure, but it only meant that it was too early to still be awake. I knew that I had to keep walking, but my feet seemed way too heavy and my eyes refused to stay open. Every couple of steps, I felt myself wandering off the path to either the left of the right. I yawned, tears forming in the corners of my eyes. I looked up to see if anyone else was showing signs of tiredness or fatigue.

Letch was as he had been through the whole walk: straight-backed and nowhere near winded. Missy seemed lost in her own thoughts, her eyes a bit glassy and her movements almost dreamlike. Amber seemed unaffected as well, merely walking and staring at the ground before her feet. It made me feel a bit embarrassed. I was the only one even remotely bothered by walking that distance for that length of time. Patting my cheeks and shaking myself into a more awake state, I mentally pep talked myself into being strong and sauntering on.

A few minutes later and we had come to yet another small hill. Letch struck at it with ease, bending his legs and digging in with the toes of his boots. The small silver chain around his ankle gleamed slightly in the growing light. Missy and Amber followed suit, so I copied their movements. It made the climb much easier, to my delight, and soon enough we were at the top. I huffed and scratched at the sand on my scalp before halting mid-movement. Just on the other rise, about a mile or two ahead of us, there stood a figure. It looked male and was clad in black from head to foot. My mind instantly wondered how he could stand the heat, but then the rational side realized it was most likely a mirage.

Letch seemed to be squinting in the direction of the person, as well. He raised an arm and whistled a long piercing note. The sound seemed to silence the world for a brief moment before birds began chirping again. The figure then raised its arm and waved it once. Another whistle struck through the air, this time emitting from the mystery person; this sound was a bit higher in pitch, but just as long. Letch nodded once sharply and beckoned to us.

"Come on." He said, "It's just Goggle." With that, he continued down the slope. Missy reassured me and slid after the mutant. I looked back to the figure, unsure, but followed them anyways. 'Goggle? One of Jupiter's Clan?' I pondered the idea as we grew closer to him.

From this distance, I could see that Goggle was decked in a black long-coat and a dark undershirt. A bowler hat rested on his head, over the long, stringy blond hair. His eyes reminded me of snake's eyes, unblinking, and his nose was almost nonexistent save for two little slits in his face. I felt bad, but I couldn't help but stare. He stared right back at me, his tongue darting out to lick his lips briefly. Slightly creeped out, I squeezed myself closer to Missy and walked on.

"So...how close are we?" I ventured, speaking to Letch's back.

"Not too much further. A few miles from here. Maybe an hour tops." Missy answered before Letch could. I sighed happily and couldn't stop the optimistic feeling that swelled within me. I couldn't wait to get there, but I was also a bit wary. Hearing about Lizard made me wonder what the rest of his family was like.

We crossed the few miles quickly and came to a thin passage between two hills. The jagged rocks skipped up un odd intervals up the sides. It made me feel claustrophobic, but I stared in awe at the natural formations. The sky peeked colourfully between the tops of the stone and cast only a slight illumination. Passing through the winding area quickly, we soon made it out into an open area.

Missy held my arm, forcing me to stop in my tracks. I looked to her, confused, but she smiled at me and told me to wait.

"You need to understand what is going to happen before we go in there. Jupiter's family is much different than Hades'. They are...nicer, but they don't know you yet. Don't say anything to piss anyone off. No cheek, you understand?"

"Alright, I'll lie low." I waved off her concern, but she stopped me again.

"Ah, ah, ah, promise?" She held her right hand over her heart and her left in the air.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, alright, alright." I copied her and laughed quietly. She sighed in relief and turned to see Letch watching us.

"Jupe's waitin' for us." That fact made me cringe. Everyone seemed on edge about me being here, including myself. I was sure I wasn't going to be welcomed with open arms either. I just hoped it wouldn't be malice that I was met with.

Our group made it to the village, I assumed, judging by the small houses that ran in a line away to our left. A man stood in front of one, cutting a grim figure in the low light. He wore a similar coat to Goggle, long and black, and he sported a long salt and pepper beard. His lined face was stern with narrowed eyes at our presence. Letch moved forward and bobbed his head once at the man.

"Jupitah." He said lowly, his tone barely respectful. The man, Jupiter, crossed his arms.

"Letch. I was wonderin' when ya'll was gonna get here." He lifted a few fingers in greeting to Missy and Amber, jerking a thumb behind him.

"Yer son is up, alreadeh. He's waitin' fo ya."

"He knew we were coming early?" MIssy sounded worried. Jupiter cocked his head at her.

"O' course. Yer mate, Chameleon, is here. He told us everythin'. Well, 'ceptin' what this lil lady's story is." Missy grinned hugely and jogged past Jupiter into the house behind him, Amber walking calmly after her. I hadn't realized that Chameleon was going to be here, but, then again, it made sense. Letch beckoned me forward.

"'Mere." I stepped forward quickly, not meeting Jupiter's hard stare. I kicked my toe in the dirt, trying to remember not to piss anyone off.

"Hello, sir. I'm Rory. I'm sorry for the inconvenience." I straightened myself a bit to see how Jupiter reacted to my words. He still stared at me, but now he had a very small smile on his face.

"Rory, huh? That's a boy's name." I inwardly groaned and laughed at the same time.

"...yes sir. My mom wanted a boy, so..." Jupiter nodded and seemed to relax.

"Well, 'boyo', yer welcome here as long as you don't hurt anyone or cause any trouble. I wasn't told the entire reason yer here, but I won't push you fer it. Ya'll can tell me later, or not if'fn yer not up to it." His words were welcoming and I accepted them as graciously as I could, except for the name he called me. He turned, waving to me to come with him and went into the house. I looked to Letch, who waved a hand at me.

"Go on." He said. I nodded and swallowed before stepping after Jupiter.

I hopped onto the porch and was grateful for the shade. I could smell something wafting from inside the house. It reminded me a bit of bacon, but it wasn't exactly the same. I inhaled anyways, reveling in the nostalgia of a homecooked meal. Letch squeezed past me and moved into the house. I heard a young voice talking and laughter followed. I stood awkwardly on the porch for a moment, almost afraid. I fiddled with my finger and bit my lip. 'Come on, Rory! Get it together!' I screamed at myself. Taking a deep breath, I stepped through the door.

The entryway of the home appeared as a long hallway with 3 doors lining the left and right of it and a set of stairs towards the back. A thin layer of smoke drifted from the doorway on the right, as did the bacon smell. I assumed this was the kitchen. The voices came from the second door on my left, so I walked cautiously towards them. I heard Missy laughing and someone clapped enthusiastically. A child's peal of laughter followed and then someone, a male, made roaring sounds. I almost smiled, the image of everyone as a happy family popping into my head. I poked my head around the corner, peering into the room.

Missy and Chameleon sat on the floor, a little boy between them. His back was to Missy and he held small toy cars in his hands. Missy petted his dark hair as he played, a soft genuine smile on her lips. She looked to Chameleon, eyes full of love. The mutant watched the boy play, every once in a while letting the child run his cars over his arms as if they were roads. It was strange to me, seeing Chameleon, the son of such an evil man, be so gentle and paternal to a child who was not even his own. I was pleasantly surprised and I grinned at the sight. I looked to the other occupants of the room.

Amber and Letch sat on one of the three couches in the room, Amber leaning forward with an identical smile to my own on her face. Letch was reclined, head resting back against the couch and an arm around the blonde woman's waist. Across from them another young woman sat with her legs curled up to chest and her chin settled on her knees. She had blond hair tied in a ponytail, with a round face and pretty blue eyes. Her lips were glossy and she was giggling at the child as he played. She wore a light blue tank top and a pair of beige shorts. Her feet were bare, but on the floor beneath her were two white sneakers. She seemed innocent and bubbly at first glance. Behind her, however, stood a man who had to be the most intimidating person I had seen since Hades.

The first thing I noticed about him was his mouth. His lips were badly chapped and, at first, I thought he was grinning or sneering. Then, I realized it was a mutation. His top lip was drawn up in a severe cleft that bared his teeth like a snarling dog. If I looked hard enough, I could see that his lower jaw was a bit off center; it was crooked like he had a broken jaw that never healed correctly. After I recovered from the shock, I raised my gaze to the rest of him. His eyes, focused out the window, were pale, though I could not tell what color they were exactly. They were very intense and they were glazed in a slightly bored expression. He raised a glove clad hand to his hair and scratched at the scruffy almost-white strands. His skin was tanned and burned on the shoulders and face. It gave him a tough-as-nails appearance that I'm sure matched his personality. As I stared, his eyes drifted to mine.

Those piercing eyes bore into me, making me feel instantly nauseous with anxiety and I went stock still. He didn't say anything, didn't move, but he did smile at me. It was not a sweet smile, nor a welcoming one. It was a twisted grin that only meant he was taking pleasure at my squirming. He crossed his lean arms and cocked his head at me.

"Well, well, well. Ain't you a sight? Gonna stand in tha' door all day or you gonna ball up and get in here?" His voice was exactly how I imagined it would sound: a vicious growl with a drawl in every word. I gulped and stepped out from the wall, suddenly very aware of everyone staring at me. The child between Missy and her lover, who I assumed was Clyde, looked at me harder than anyone else did. His dark eyes were curious and he stared unabashedly. I waved at him a bit before turning my eyes to the rest of the room. The girl sitting by the scary mutant smiled kindly at me and I returned the smile as best I could.

"Come in here, Rory. Don't be so shy!" Missy said, beckoning. I hesitated before moving into the room. I went to stand behind the couch that Amber was sitting on, but before I could make it, Clyde held out a hand to me.

"Wait!" He ordered and I stopped mid step. He looked very serious and he stood up between Chameleon and his mother. He glared at me, which would have been scary if not for the adorable way in scrunched up his nose. I waited for him to speak, to act, to do something. When he spoke, his tone was quiet and full of awe.

"Are you my long lost sister?"

At that, everyone, minus Lizard and Letch, started laughing. Even I giggled a bit, grinning from ear to ear.

"No, Clyde. That's Rory. She is a friend who will be living with us."

"Yay!" Clyde jumped up and ran over to me. I flinched, not sure what I should do, but then he wrapped his arms around my legs. Hugging me, he pressed his face into my thighs for a moment before pulling away. He smiled up at me and jumped up and down.

"You can just pretend to be my sister, ok?" I nodded and ruffled his hair.

"Sure thing, little dude." With that, he bounded back to his mother and sat down to play with his cars. I remained standing where I was, grinning like an idiot at the Clyde's antics. I glanced back up to meet eyes with Lizard once more. It didn't seem like he had stopped staring at me the whole time. I looked away almost immediately, too nerve wracked by his gaze to continue our staring contest. I heard a soft chuckle from him as I dropped my eyes.

I moved backwards to lean against the wall, feeling welcome, but somehow still alienated. I decided to be a little less docile and assert myself. I met the young blonde woman's gaze and smiled again.

"I don't think I caught your name." I said to her. She shook her head and grinned.

"I didn't say it, silly. The name's Brenda. And this old sour puss is Lizard." She jerked a thumb over her shoulder at the man. He smiled at me again, the expression unnerving. I nodded to him, being polite despite my awkwardness.

"So, Rory, right? How you taking to life here so far?" Brenda asked, twirling a lock of hair in between her fingers. I wasn't sure how to respond. I fidgeted at the question, trying to say what I felt in a way that wouldn't upset anyone, especially Lizard. I tried to think of how I really felt, not of how I should feel.

"How should I put this?" I started, chuckling nervously. I remembered the way I felt about Hades and how much I wanted him to suffer the way I had suffered. Then, I remembered Stabber. He had been so...what was the word for it? Kind? Compassionate? Caring? All of those rolled into one. Sure he was a cannibalistic mutant who lived in the hills and hardly ever spoke, but...he was different. To me, at least. I realized that I missed him and that part of me, some crazy, stupid, irrational part of me, was worried about him. At that, I made another discovery.

I hadn't really minded being stuck in the hills, all because of him.

So, I answered Brenda's question, "It has been a bumpy ride, but overall...it hasn't been too bad. So far, anyways."

Brenda laughed with me at that. "Oh, girl, I know what you mean." Lizard scowled at that and tugged her ponytail.

"Hey, whatta ya mean by that?" Brenda patted his gloved hand.

"Nothing, Lizard. Go back to brooding." I giggled into my hand, feeling better about staying with these people and their little family.

* * *

**Aaaand we're done! Sorry for the long wait, peeps. I have been without internet for sooo long. Now, I hope this is good. It feels sort of weird, but I'm glad to start writing interactions for Jupe's clan. R&R please! **

**And oh Gods, did I miss 1st person POV! Ho yeah!**


	10. Stress

**Hello, my little chickadees! How is everyone? Good? Good. Well, here is the next chapter for 'Watch Me'. In this chapter, we are still in 1st person POV and we are sticking with Rory. Here we go!**

**Warning: Rated T for language and suicidal thoughts**

**Disclaimer: I don't own HHE or any of its characters. Rory is mine though.**

* * *

_Stressed is desserts spelled backwards._

* * *

While we all sat, or stood, and talked, I found my mind drifting. I kept coming back to Stabber and where he might be. I hadn't had the chance to ask anyone if they knew where he might have gone and I was beginning to worry. What if he was hurt and needed help? What if Hades found out about his plan and went after him? Or us? So many things ran through my head. I mostly feared for Stabber, though the idea sounded ridiculous. I kept trying to convince myself to stop caring for him.

'Come on, Rory, wake up! He is a killer! A KILLER! He has kidnapped you! Why do you care about him so much?' I yelled mentally at myself.

'Because he has shown nothing but kindness and caring for me. I owe him the same.' The small irrational side of me whispered.

'No, you don't! He _won't let you leave!_ That isn't caring.'

'He said it was for my protection.'

'Oh, so listen to the crazy mutant and not reason? Sure, makes perfect sense...'

"Rory!" My head snapped up and I looked around for who had said my name. Everyone in the room was looking that me again and I blushed, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry. What?" I replied, playing with my pinky once more. Amber shook her head and laughed.

"I was asking if you wanted waffles? Mama is making some."

"Oh sure thing! That sounds wonderful. Sorry I didn't hear you."

A loud female voice rang out from the hallway.

"Wha' was that?" I shied at the voice and looked to Amber. She waved a hand at me as if to say 'Go on'. I gulped and projected my voice so I could be heard.

"I would love some! Thank you very much!"

"Alrigh'! Syrup?"

"Yes please! Thanks again!" I smiled and watched everyone as they interacted.

Missy and Chameleon were the most lively, playing with Clyde and his little toy cars. The young boy would, every so often, pick up one car and tell Chameleon the make and model. He was very animated when he spoke. The mutant listened and seemed to actually enjoy learning about them. He would ask about the little Ferrari and the tiny Volkswagen and Clyde would answer all of his inquiries. It was endearing to see them engage in such light conversation. I couldn't help but smile.

Amber and Letch on their couch were rather quiet, seemingly off in their own universe. Letch had pulled his mate into his arms and she had her head leaning on his shoulder. Every once in a while she would lay a soft kiss on his jaw or cheek and he would merely smile. I barely noticed his thumb as it rubbed the exposed skin of her arm. I felt the need to look away, not wanting to ruin their moment with my staring.

Brenda and Lizard didn't really interact at all. He stood behind her, arms folded and his gaze not focused on anyone or anything in particular. Rather, he appeared to be completely disinterested. Every few minutes or so, however, he would lean down to her ear and nip at it. Brenda would giggle and shoo him away. Their gazes snagged and they would stare for a moment, both radiating something warm and wonderful before they went back to their stagnant gazing.

I felt a small twinge of loneliness while watching everyone. I felt a bit of envy. I wanted what they all had. I wrapped my arms around myself, sighing quietly and letting my thoughts gallop away with me like a unbroken mustang.

I thought of my friends, dead in the desert. Were they being eaten by birds? Or coyotes? Or...mutants? I shuddered at the idea and tried to force my thoughts away. I thought of the essay that I should have been writing and the fresh homemade firehouse chili that I should be eating with my parents. It pained me to think that I would never see them again. My mother must be so worried about me. She was the type to fret all the way into the wee hours of the morning and fall asleep on her rocker on the porch. I missed her and I wished terribly that I could at least tell her that I was alright. My mind strayed to thoughts of escape once more. It wouldn't be too hard, not with everyone sitting around to paying me no mind. No one would miss me. No one, but...him. I thought of Stabber again.

I remembered his face, the patchy mutations and the sharp shark teeth. I remembered his long dark hair and his strong hands. Oh, his hands. The way they ghosted over my skin when they touched me. I recalled his voice, rough and coarse like sand. I closed my eyes and I saw his, those steel coloured orbs. They were always so clear and observant, like he was always calculating something or another. I felt like I would give anything to have those eyes look at me again. I knew I shouldn't feel this way, that it was wrong to feel like that for one's captor. I repeated to myself, over and over again, that I could not let myself feel this way for Stabber. I barely knew the guy anyways.

I caught myself before I started thinking about how much I missed him, again. Just then, the female voice from the kitchen broke through my thoughts.

"Waffles are done! Come on!" At that, everyone stirred into motion. Clyde whooped and ran from the room, muttering 'yum yum yum' under his breath. Missy stood and stretched before taking Chameleon's hand. The two walked past me, but, as they moved, the mutant's eyes met mine. His hard blue eyes seemed questioning, but he didn't say anything. Amber and Brenda followed them, talking to one another, then Letch and, lastly, Lizard. As he passed me, hands in his pockets, he held me in an intense stare. I couldn't look away from him. I tried on convey a note of confidence in my answering gaze, but it only made him smirk with those misshapen lips. He rolled his shoulders as he passed and they crackled, making me flinch. Chuckling darkly, he left the room, leaving me alone.

I held back, feeling strange and out of place. I bit my lip and stepped backwards, dropping my eyes to the floor. Homesickness made me feel heavy, as if iron ran through my veins instead of blood. 'I don't belong here.' I told myself. I turned to stare out the window, mind wandering back to my home and my parents. My life was so different from the one that was lived here. I wasn't sure I could adapt. I wasn't sure I wanted to. These people, mutants and humans alike, were nothing like the people I had grown used to living with. Where my family was full of tough people, too, this family was a whole different level of tough. My family was a bunch of rugged cowfolk, strong, but nurturing and this family was more like a bunch of bully breed dogs: intimidating, but could still be lived with as long as you didn't fear the bite. Unfortunately, I did fear the bite. Badly.

Suddenly, a hand waved in front of my face. I started and turned to see Brenda staring at me. Her quizzical look was coupled with her hip cocked to one side, a look that read 'What's up?' and 'What's your damage?' at once. I looked back at her, an unsure smile turning my mouth.

"I'm sorry, what?" I said, politely. The blonde woman rolled her eyes.

"I was calling you. You didn't hear me?"

I shook my head and rubbed my neck. "Guess not. Sorry...Brenda, right?" She nodded once.

"You do know that waffles are waiting for you..." The sentence trailed off and she jerked a thumb over her shoulder. I nodded, feeling embarrassed once more and glanced back out the window.

"I just don't feel...hungry, ya know?" The blonde looked at me hard for a few moments, then turned on her heel and left. Her departure was so sudden and silent that I felt a bit shell shocked. I stood, watching the door, a part of me hoping she was coming back. After a few moments, a small note of delight sang in me as she did walk through the door again. This time, she held to plates stacked with waffles in her hands, one in each hand. I moved to help her but she weaved out of my reach and set both plates down on the couch.

"Sit."

The command was not mean or loud, but simply said in a way that I knew I couldn't refuse. I sighed and sat down, picking one plate up and setting it in my lap. Brenda did the same, curling her legs underneath herself in a pretzel shape and bringing a waffle to her mouth. She watch me, an expectant expression on her pretty face. I waited, not completely sure what she wanted. Then, with an exasperated groan, she explained.

"Look, chicki, I know that something is bothering you. I had that same look at one point. Fess up. You can tell me anything." Her openness was unexpected. I bit my lip and stared at my waffles before I answered.

"I just don't feel...like I belong here. I miss my family. I want to go home...not find a new one." I told her straight out. Brenda put the back of her hand to her forehead and pretended to swoon.

"Oh gosh, not homesickness! God forbid! No one here has ever felt that before!" She said in an overly dramatic voice. I giggled a bit at the jab. Brenda smiled and shook her head, ponytail swinging.

"Look, Rory, in all seriousness, I understand how you're feeling. I felt that before too. So has Missy and Amber. Hell, my brother did and so did Clyde a bit. This place isn't like anything we have ever experienced and it isn't easy getting used to living here. I didn't want to stay either. I wanted nothing more than to run into the desert and never return. I tried once. Lizard found me, dehydrated and sun burnt all crispy and he brought me back." My eyes widened at that.

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. I hated it here. I hated him, God only knows how much. But, it got better. He got better. There is a side to him that no one knows, except maybe myself and Ruby."

"Ruby?" Brenda nodded, taking a bite of her waffle.

"His little sister. She's, like, 16 now. Cute girl. You will meet her soon. She is probably with Bobby, my brother. Anyways, Rory, what you're feeling is totally normal. None of us wanted to be here at first. But, it isn't so bad once you get used to it."

"I don't want to get used to it...I want to go home. I still don't get why I can't."

"It's simple, really. You can't because you have seen too much and now that you are 'claimed' they won't let you leave unless you are released by whoever claimed you. By the way, who did claim you? I mean, who is your 'mate' now." She made air quotes around the words claimed and mate as she spoke. I thought about that for a minute. I knew who had me now, but I wasn't sure if I should, or could, even say that it was him. I toyed with the idea of just saying it was Stabber, but then, I knew the truth would come out eventually.

"...Hades, I think." I said, quietly. A sharp intake of breath from Brenda spoke volumes. Her blue eyes had grown wide and she stopped chewing her food. I couldn't force myself to meet her eyes so I picked at a waffle.

"Rory..." She said my name with such emotion that I had to look back at her face. Sadness and pity were written all over her features. She laid a hand on mine and the gesture made tears well in my eyes. "Oh, Rory...I'm so sorry."

"Well, hopefully I won't be for long." I whispered. Brenda cocked her head at that.

"What do you mean?"

"You know Stabber?"

"Yeah...the tall one with the long black hair and messed up face?" I nodded and scooted a bit closer to her so I could speak in hushed tones.

"The reason I'm here is because Stabber wants to claim me from Hades so he went to see someone called the Keeper." Brenda's jaw dropped. She moved closer to me as well and glanced over her shoulder and looked back at me.

"Rory..." She paused, her face serious, "I have no idea who that is."

* * *

I ended up explaining what I knew to her. The Laws, the Keeper, and Stabber's plan to take me away from Hades. Brenda listened, never stopping me once, her head bobbing every once in a while. When I finished, she leaned back against her end of the couch.

"Jesus...that's heavy stuff. How do you feel about all this?"

"Tired. Just...very tired. And I don't really want to deal with it. I just want it all to go away." I sniffed. Brenda nodded again and rubbed my knee. I ate the last of my waffle and smiled through the tears that were forming in my eyes.

"What?"

"Oh, I just realized I didn't thank whoever made these waffles. I feel kind of rude eating out here." Brenda laughed at me and stood with her plate.

"You are so ridiculous. Come on! I'm sure Mama won't care that you ate in here." I followed her, winding through the couches to the hallway. The sound of plates tapping on one another could be heard now. As we came into the room, I noticed immediately that the room was a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be.

The kitchen was long and in the middle sat a rectangular table. Missy sat at the table, with Clyde on her left and Amber on her right. Clyde was chatting with his mother, a grin plastered to his face. Amber was using her finger to wipe leftover syrup from her plate. Behind them, leaning against the wall, was Chameleon and his brother. They stood close to one another and spoke so quietly that I could not make out what they were talking about. Chameleon looked up when we entered and nodded once to me before turning his sharp eyes to Letch again. Lizard stared out the window near them, looking lost in thought again. He didn't even glance up as we entered the room. I looked back to the table and its other occupant.

At the opposite end of the table, munching on the remains of a waffle, was a large man. I froze in place, staring at his back. He was broad shouldered and had wispy blonde hair much like the Goggle mutant I saw earlier. He didn't use a fork or knife, but merely picked up the waffle and bit into it. As I watched, he chuckled to himself quietly. I turned to look at Brenda, the look on my face conveying my confusion. Brenda chuckled and patted the man on one strong shoulder.

"Hey, Pluto. Say hi to Rory." She said these words like she was speaking to a child. The man turned his face to her and smiled before looking at me. His face was not what I was expecting. It was slightly lopsided, like someone tilted it to one side, and he was missing most of his teeth. It would have been a frightening sight if not for the happy smile that made his face soften and glow. He waved at me, prompting me to wave back shyly.

"'Lo, Ro-ree." His voice was deep and his speech was a bit like a child's. The words were slurred and choppy. It made me grin back despite myself.

"Hello, Pluto. Nice to meet you."

"Niice ta meet chu." He went back to eating. Brenda tugged my sleeve and led me to the small island that was attached to the stove. Leaning over the sink was an obese woman and Brenda went up to her and slipped her plate into the sink around the woman.

"Mama, those were delish. Thanks!" She said and the woman gave her a one armed hug.

"Oh, thank you, sug. You are always so sweet." The woman, Mama, was completely bald and clad in a simple white dress. She seemed like a typical lady, no mutations or anything. I approached to put my own plate in the sink, but was stopped when Mama whipped around to stare at me. Her eyes were hard, but not mean. They reminded me of the way a horse eyes a riding whip. I stopped, holding my plate close to myself as if it could protect me. Her mouth curled into a sneering expression that was almost a smile. She held her hand out and waited. I assumed she wanted my plate so I laid it in her waiting grip. She took it and laid it in the sink with a clink and turned back to me.

"Thank you..." I mumbled, unable to raise my voice under her intense look. She made a sound that I interpreted as an acknowledgement and went back to cleaning the dishes. I couldn't unpin myself from the spot. I stared at the woman's back and tried to keep my breathing calm. I felt a shiver run through me. Brenda seemed to notice my stressed stance and she nabbed me by the elbow and steered me out of the room.

Once in the hall, I exhaled loudly and began to shake. The young woman patted my shoulder, looking almost bored. I was sure she had done this before.

"It's okay, Rory. You are fine. Chill out, chicki." I nodded and ran my arms over my skin. I felt the goosebumps that rose there. I couldn't believe how bad I felt.

"Brenda...I'm sorry."

"For?" Her hand stopped and she tilted her head to look at me, her ponytail tipping of the side.

"For...being such a chickenshit. You handle this so well." She shook her head, giggling.

"Not at first, I didn't. You'll be alright. Let's just get your mind off of all of this. Oh!" Her exclamation startled me and I jumped. Brenda had a large smile on her face and she grabbed my hand.

"W-what?" I asked, nervous.

"Let's get you some new clothes! We can try out some of the stuff in the old wardrobe!" With that, she ran up the stairs, dragging me behind her.

At the top, she slipped around the railing and booked down to the last door on our right. She wiggled the handle and the door squeaked open.

"Come on!" She urged me through the door and closed it behind us. The room we stood in was nothing like the rest of the house. The walls were not painted the bright buttery yellow that the hallways were. They were a dully mousy brown, almost mud coloured, and spiderwebs clung in every corner. There was a single window, through which a miniscule amount of light peeked in around the dust. In the back corner, there was a door that led to a bathroom, I assumed. I could see a shower through the bit of the door that was open. Turning back to where Brenda was standing, I laid eyes on the wardrobe.

A large reddish-brown thing, the wardrobe looked almost out of place in the dull room. It sported little silver knobs and curling eyebrow-like fixtures on top. Brenda grinned at me and opened it, revealing piles of different types of clothing.

"Come here, Rory! Pick something out! I wanna see what kind of girl you really are." I stared, confused, at her.

"How will this help you figure that out?"

"Well, this is YOUR choice for clothes. It will show me who you are. Tomboy, girly-girl, prep, dike. We will see." I shook my head, but went to rummage through the piles regardless.

The first thing I came upon was a flowery spring dress. It was a light shade of pink, almost periwinkle, with red, yellow, and orange flowers and birds on it. I tossed that to the side. 'Oh nay, nay!*' I thought to myself. The next item of clothing was a large polo shirt. It was bright red, like a cardinal, and that was added to the pile of No-no clothes, as I had dubbed it in my head. I picked up a pair of jeans, light blue with small metal studs on the back pockets. I stared at them, turning them over in my hands before nodding and putting them to the side.

"Ah ha..." Brenda said and I glanced at her. She merely waved her hand in a sign for me to continue. I continued picking around the bright dresses and overly-large slacks and t-shirts. I came across a dark gray wifebeater type shirt which was immediately added to my good pile. I found a red bra which I grew a bit suspicious about, but then noticed the tag still clipped to the strap. That was added as well as a pair of similarly coloured panties. As articles of clothing were added, Brenda made little sounds of affirmation, small mumbles that I tried not to notice. I felt like I was being judged on my choices and my final score would be revealed.

I went to try on the clothes I choose, padding my way to the bathroom. Brenda had a Cheshire grin on as I looked to her.

"Go on! I'm can't wait to see if they fit!" I nodded and closed the door. The pants I wore were the first to go. They were grungy and way too big for me. I laid them on the sink counter and slipped into the new jeans and panties. I almost groaned at the feeling of clean cloth on my skin and I had to jump a bit to get them on all the way. 'Oh yeah, feelin' sexy! Nothin' like jeans that are a size too small for our ass to make us feel hot.' I giggled as I buttoned the pants. They did fit me rather well, although they were a bit tight. I didn't pay it any mind. I knew they would stretch the more I wore them. Next, I discarded the filthy shirt I had been given. It was large as well, with huge gaping holes in the sides so my makeshift sports bra was showing. I was glad to be rid of it and, with it, the constant self consciousness I had felt. I took the ragged bra off, too, and replaced it with the red one. It was a surprisingly prefect fit, as was the tank top. I brushed some dust off the tank and turned to look at myself in the mirror.

My hair was still dirty, the red beginning to fade at the roots. My natural brown looked strange to me. My face was streaked with dirt and sweat beaded just below my hairline. I wiped it away and leaned over the sink. I turned the right handle and held my hands under the flow of water that trickled out. I was a bit surprised that any water came out, but I was thrilled. I splashed it on my face and wiped away the grim. I spent a few minutes doing this, even untying my hair from its ponytail and washing that as well. I glanced at myself again in the mirror. My dark complexion looked much better without the dirt. I had almost forgotten the natural colour of my skin. I pulled my hair back again and sighed. Feeling good, I made my way out of bathroom.

Brenda was perched on the windowsill when I emerged. She snapped her head to me and instantly bounced up.

"Oh my gosh! You look so much better! Like, way way better!" She raked my new appearance with her eyes, thoughtful.

"So, you are definitely a tomboy. No doubt about that. Maybe a motorcycle chick? Or a grease monkey?" I laughed at her and waved her guesses away.

"No, no. Country girl. 'Cowgirl', if you like." I grinned. Brenda nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh, I like that! Finally, a new type of chick to talk with. So, you ride horses?"

"Yes, ma'am. Own my very own AQHA certified roping horse." Brenda's face went stoic, the same look from earlier that told me she didn't understand. "American Quarter Horse Association. My horse is bred for roping cattle."

"Oooooh." She said. "What's its name?"

"His name is Too Reckless Ruckus. I call him 2R. He's my baby."

"He sounds cool! What does he look like?" Brenda asked, waving me out the door. I stopped her, quickly.

"Wait, wait! What about shoes?" I asked, pointing to my feet. I had been wearing a pair of old converse and they were totaled. Brenda _hmmm'd_ before waving me out again.

"You can wear a pair of Missy's old boots. They are in Clyde's room." We moved out of the room and back down the hall. I counted 4 doors before we entered another room.

It was obviously a bedroom, with a small cot in the corner. A few toys were scattered around. Little G.I. Joe figures were lined up and leaning against the wall. I recognized Snake Eyes and Long Range among them. I mentally saluted them. A poster was tacked to the wall, too, with a tall man in leathers in the forefront. On the bottom of the poster, big yellow letters read 'Dio'. Clyde apparently had good taste in music. Brenda was already at the closet and she chucked a pair of dark brown boots at me. They seemed similar to the work boots I would use at the ranch. I slipped out of my old ones and into the new ones. Missy and I were about the same height, so they fit pretty well. I smiled at Brenda and wiggled my toes.

"Rock on." I said. She skipped up to me and dragged me back out the door. We made our way back downstairs and she wound her way into the living room where everyone was sitting again.

"Ta da!" She exclaimed, causing everyone to look up, "Doesn't she look fab?" Missy clapped and nodded.

"Whoa, Rory! Nice new threads!" Chameleon even smiled a small smile at me.

"You do look good." He said, softly. Amber wolf-whistled at me and Letch groaned, making her giggle. Clyde stood up and clapped at me, so I curtsied as best as I could to him.

"Thank, kind sir." He laughed at that. Brenda left my side and slipped her hand into Lizard's. The man gripped her hand and kissed her head, but his eyes never left mine. I shrunk away and went to sit on the arm of the couch where Amber sat. Just then, Pluto came into the room, his arrival announced by his thudding footsteps. I met his eyes, slightly fearful, but he grinned largely at me.

"Ro-ree! Look purty wit new stuff. Papa wans ta talk ta youuu." He told me. I swallowed and stood again, walking over to his side.

"Okay, Pluto. Lead the way." This was inevitable. I had to talk to him. It was going to happen sooner or later. I just hoped it was going to be later.

Jupiter was sitting at the table in the kitchen. I followed behind Pluto, nerves making me queasy. He stomped over to Jupiter, who nodded. The large man then left the room, leaving me alone with the Clan leader. He kicked a chair out from under the table and motioned to it.

"Sit."

I gulped and did so, trying my best not to appear afraid. Jupiter watched me intensely for a long moment, his eyes reminding me a lot of Stabber's: calculating and intelligent. I waited under the stare, fidgeting with my fingers. I could hear my heart beating in my ears. Silence poured between us. A bit of wind rattled something metallic outside, making a clanging sound in the otherwise quiet span of time. Jupiter rubbed his mouth with a hand and I saw that he wore a thick golden band around one finger. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm.

"So, boyo...I hear tha' you were claimed by my brother. That true?" I stiffened. 'His brother? That evil monstrous...'

"Yes sir. If Hades is your brother, then you are correct."

"Has he mated wit' you yet?" The term was spoken nonchalantly, but it made me wince. I remembered the horrid act he had done to me and I shivered.

"...yes. Yes, he did." My voice cracked.

"Did he get any child from you? You carrying?"

"No!" I yelled, then quieted. "Well, I don't think so..." I felt sick at the idea. I might be pregnant with that psycho's child. I laid a hand on my stomach, nausea making me dizzy. Jupiter frowned and leaned forward.

"There's a bathroom upstairs. The drawer has tests. Use one, then come back an' tell me."

"Yes sir. Uhm...sir? What happens if I am?" Jupiter looked at me, not a trace of sympathy on his face.

"We give you back ta Hades. If there's a child, then by the Laws, I can't keep you here."

"And...if there is none?"

"Then you can stay. You would still be up for claimin' if Stabber manages ta convince the Keeper." My heart went leaping into my throat and I swallowed. I stood and tilted my head to the Clan leader.

"Thank you..." My voice sounded so small then. I turned on my heel and walked out of the room. I glanced to the door at the end of the hall. It would be so easy to run to it, to throw it open and leave. The urge pounded into me and I halted, eyes boring into the door. I glanced at the golden handle and my fingertips itched. Then, rationality hit me, hard. There was no where for me to go. I was stuck in the middle of the desert, no food or water. I wouldn't make it far. I sighed and began my slow trudge up the stairs. They moaned and groaned underneath me, each step sounding like the toll of a death bell. I felt heavy.

At the top, I turned and entered the first door I saw. A toilet and a small shower met me as I entered. I closed the door and locked it with reluctance. I stared at myself in the mirror. My face was pale and the expression was one of dread. I inhaled and exhaled before opening the only drawer with a handle. Inside, as Jupiter said, were pregnancy tests. Some were white, some were blue, but they were all the last things I wanted to use ever in my life. With shaking hands, I pulled one out, a blue one. I slipped it out of the packaging and gasped as I dropped it in the sink. I grabbed it and held it up to my face. It looked like such a harmless little thing. After mentally slapping myself, I finally sat down to use it.

After I finished, I set the little stick on the counter top and I waited. Pink if positive and blue if negative. 'Alright.' I told myself, 'This is it. 1 minute. Here we go.' I sat and pondered my fate.

If I was pregnant, I knew I couldn't live with it. I just couldn't. I would have to kill myself. There was no way I would go back to the monster and be his mate and mother to his devil child. I shuddered at the thought and my mind slipped to suicidal thoughts.

Drowning wouldn't work, though it would be quite poetic. Drowning in the desert. It was almost laughable. I wondered how long it would take me to starve. I couldn't remember ever knowing the answer. Maybe I could go out like Juliet and stab myself. Bleeding out would work, but it would be painful and I had a very low threshold for pain. 'Or,' I thought, 'I could just go the common way and slit my wrists. Down the lane, not across...' My shook myself out of these thoughts. I didn't want to die, not really. Sickened by my own morbid thoughts, I looked at the test. Nothing yet. I went back to thinking.

What if I wasn't with child? Then, Stabber could still claim me. I was almost elated at the thought. Sure, it wasn't the perfect scenario. I always imagined myself settling down with a rough and tumble cowboy and lived the rest of our days running our very own ranch. Living forever in the mines with a mutant and his strange ragtag family wasn't the fairytale ending most girls wanted. I tried to convince myself it wouldn't be so bad. Stabber was nice enough. He cared for me and he was uprooting his whole lifestyle to protect me. Most regular guys wouldn't even dream of doing that. I smiled at that. Stabber wasn't really a bad guy. He was just misunderstood. Sure, I could go with that. Feeling calmer, I looked at the test.

There was a small strip of colour present on the little square.

I braced myself and peered down at it.

* * *

**Cliiiiiiffy! Ha! Sorry about that one, chickadees! Couldn't resist! So, is Rory preggers? What will happen when Jupiter finds out? .See. **

***Oh, nay, nay!- From John Pinette (sp?) the comedian. I love him :)**

**TTFN, ta ta for now!**


	11. Pain

**Disclaimer: I don't own HHE and all that jazz. Just Rory and the Keeper.**

**Warning: Rated T for language and suggestive thoughts**

**Whoa! Two chapters in one day?! How 'bout that? Sorry, but, now, we are with Stabber. Don't be mad at me for that cliffy last chapter! Please! Alright, here we go!**

* * *

_Pain is a good thing. It lets you know you are still alive._

* * *

When consciousness returned to me, the first thought I had was about the lingering pain in my skull. I groaned quietly and my breath blew sand into my face. I slowly became aware of my surroundings. I was lying on my stomach on the ground, that much was obvious. The sand was cold. I listened for any sound I could hear, but was met with nothing. 'Damn.' I thought, then winced again as my head began to throb. I moved my fingers to test for any damage, then my toes. Everything responded appropriately. I dragged one arm up to rest a hand next to my face, then the other. With a grimace, I managed to push myself up off the ground, but my triumph only lasted a moment before I dropped back down to the sandy floor. The impact made me lose my breath with a huff and I snarled slightly.

Feeling weakened, I wracked my brain for memories of what happened to me. I recalled speaking with the Keeper and that annoying little brat Cerberus. I remembered telling him about Hades and how he got upset by my words. Then, it all went black. 'He knocked me out!' The memory made me furious and I forced myself into a sitting position.

My vision went dark momentarily as the blood rushed from my head. I sat and breathed for a good while before I felt normal once more. I glanced around. I was sitting in a dusty room with only a small circular window for light. It was all boarded up and a tiny glow of light smiled through a gap in the wood. My eyes fell to the floor in front of my boots. Drag marks wound in the sand that led out the door. I leaned my head back and sneered.

"Damn him. Fucker dragged me in here an' left me. He better be goin' ta see Hades or I'll kill 'im." I froze at that and sat up straight. Hades! The Keeper was going to go talk to him about the lack of birthing in our Clan. 'How long have I been out? Has he already spoken to Hades?' My mind reeled and I stood, balancing against the wall. My head throbbed in time with my pulse, but I pressed the heel of my hand to my head and ignored it. I stumbled out through the doorway and into the other room.

It was familiar to me, with an arched roof and mirrors instead of windows. The main part of the chapel was still as dark as it was when I first came to speak with the Keeper. I glanced at my own visage in the mirrors. My face was just as ugly as I remembered and I looked away. There was a batch of candles lit nearby that illuminated the walls. I moved over to them and picked one up in one hand. The little thing did not provide to much light, but it was enough. I moved on, searching through the room for anything that could tell me how long I had been there or where the Keeper was.

After long moments, the ache in my head grew worse, so I stopped. I closed my eyes and rubbed the back of my head. As I waited for the pain to ebb, I noticed that a sound had become apparent. I waited, listening, and I heard what sounded like singing. My head snapped up and I began to follow the lilting sound. It led me down a hall that wove and dipped like one of the tunnels in the mines. The sound grew louder. It reminded me of a lullaby, sweet and soft. I sped up, curiousity becoming a driving force. I sharply turned a corner and skidded to a halt.

The room I had come to was sparse and small, with a single mirror on the wall. The singing was coming from a corner of the room. I could clearly hear now that it was a male's voice and the words were perfectly enunciated. He sang:

_Like a ship in the harbour_

_ Like a mother and child_

_ Like a light in the darkness_

_ I'll hold you a while_

_ We'll walk on the water_

_ I'll cradle you near_

_ And hold you while angels_

_ Sing you to sleep.*_

The song ended and the voice began humming the same tune. I cleared my throat after a minute and the voice went quiet.

"Who are you?" The voice chuckled a bit before answering.

"You know me, Stabber. Don't tell me ya don't recognize mah voice." The twang in the words gave it away. Annoyance made my jaw clench.

"Cerberus...?" I barely contained the growl as it rode through my words. The voice laughed full out this time and the boy's face emerged from the darkness.

"Ah ha! Ding, ding, ding! That's right! Good guess, a-mi-go." The three syllables were enunciated dramatically. I balled my hands into fists in an attempt to bite down the urge to strangle the other mutant.

"Was that you singin'? Or, is there someone else here?"

"It was me! Don't ya like mah singin' voice?"

"No."

"Awwww! Yer an ass." The boy pouted, but quickly, it was replaced by his broad smile. I winced as another wave of pain licked the inside of my skull. Cerberus frowned and walked forward to stare very closely at my face.

"What?" I snapped.

"I hit ya hard agin, huh? Damn, I'm sorry, bud." He seemed genuine. I sighed loudly.

"It...it's fine, Cerberus. How long have I been out?" The boy leaned back and looked thoughtful for a few ticks. Then, the stupid smile came back full force.

"3 days, a-mi-go. Long time. Worried I killed ya." I was floored. 3 days? Had the Keeper already seen Hades? What if he hadn't found what I had said? What had happened to Rory? My mind stayed on the girl's well-being. I began to envision all the things that could be done to her. Rape, starvation, torture? Hades was a sick bastard. There was no telling what he could be doing to her right now. I stopped myself at that and tried to keep calm. I still wasn't even sure why I felt this way about the female. She was no different than any other girl we had kidnapped.

Except that she liked me. I did not frighten her. She did flinch at my hand, but that was more of a trust issue, I told myself. This girl, despite being broken and violated, still found something in me that was desirable. Otherwise, she wouldn't smile at me the way she did. I wanted her to want me. She made me feel good. Being wanted by someone was something I had never experienced before. This girl needed me, wanted me, to protect her. That's all that mattered, right? I felt important to her and that made her important to me. I looked back to Cerberus, who was watching me intently.

"Did the Keeper see Hades?" I asked, "Is he back yet?"

"Oh, yeah, he saw 'im." I waited, expectant. Cerberus just smiled. I grew angry again.

"And?"

"And...?" I slammed Cerberus against the wall, a hand on his throat.

"What did he say? Tell me!" At my outburst, the boy's face grew hard and a frown took his normally happy face. His eyes rolled back in his head to reveal their whites and his own hand latched onto my wrist. I watched in disbelief as he slowly removed my hand from his throat and stood tall. He turned his face to the right, baring his mutation to me. It appeared almost as if another face stood out on his cheek and temple.

"Don't you EVER touch me again." His voice was menacing and he spoke very slowly. I felt afraid and I dropped to one knee as his grip tightened on my wrist. Something in my wrist cracked. Pain shot up my arm to my shoulder. For what felt like forever, he held me like that. When he let me go, I pulled my arm to my chest, agony rolling through to the bone. Cerberus' body language was still dominant and he stood stock still. I waited, not wanting to make him angry again. He reminded me, in that moment, of Hades. All primal rage and hatred, not the playful, obnoxious boy I had grown used to seeing in Cerberus.

"The Keeper has gone to see Hades. He returned and was not pleased." His speech was still slow and he sounded almost mechanical. "Your words were true. Hades can no longer produce offspring. This means that he must be removed as Clan leader."

"All mates he has taken may now be claimed from him in the old way."

"What is the old way?" I asked, quietly. The boy was motionless for a moment, then he answered.

"Fight him. Defeat Hades and claim all that is his. If you cannot defeat him, then another must. If none can, then your Clan will be dispersed. But, Hades cannot be leader any longer." I sighed heavily. Fight Hades? I couldn't win that. I knew I couldn't. I would need help. Lots of it.

"Does the Law say anythin' about asking for help? Can I ask my Clan mates ta fight Hades with me?" The boy was silent again. His eyes rolled forward and he turned his head to the left to show his other mutation to me. Again, I noticed that the mutation on his face seemed almost like another head growing out of the side. I was confused, but stayed silent. When he spoke, his voice changed once more. Instead of the rough, aggressive, mechanical tone, now it has taken on the old papery voice that I remembered from my conversation with the Keeper.

"You may ask for help, Stabber, but you must understand that, if you do, those that you ask for help may try to stake a claim of what you earn from defeating Hades." I nodded, glancing downwards. My mind was muddled with thoughts about Hades and the girl and the fight ahead, but I could not get past the vocal change in the boy.

"Can I ask ya one more thing?" Cerberus inclined his head.

"Speak."

"Are you the Keeper?" At this, the boy laughed, but it was not the loud gasping laughter that he normally exhibited. This laugh was quiet and gentle, almost feminine.

"I am."

Again, I was floored. Cerberus was the Keeper? I just couldn't wrap my mind around it. The jumpy, spastic boy who couldn't make sense to save his life was also the old, quiet Keeper? I stared at him, gaping like a dead fish. As I watched, the boy shifted his head so his face was straight forward. A grin stretched his lips and he ruffled my hair a bit.

"Well? What did he say?" I stared. Cerberus stared back, his smile dying from his face. "Wha'?" He asked. I shook my head and stood, brushing my knees off with the hand that wasn't throbbing in pain.

"Nothin'. So, tell me, Cerberus. When did you go crazy?" At that, the boy laughed and I swore I could hear more than one voice.

"I didn't. Yer the crazy one, Stabs, a-mi-go." He bounced up to me and tapped my nose. I waved his hand away as one would do to a pest. He giggled maniacally and twirled in place.

"So, are ya gonna go home now?" He asked. I looked at him, unsure how to answer. Cerberus gasped at me. "Ya know?! Ta see yer girl?" I nodded slowly, holding my wrist in thought.

"Yea'. Yea', I'm gonna go see her."

"Hope she hasn't left ya!"

"Shut up, Cerberus."

* * *

I jogged away from the chapel, glancing back every once and a while. The dusty white building slowly disappeared from view. I never thought I could be so thankful to see a holy place leave my view. As I ran, my head began to hurt again. The pain rocketed through my neck to my eyes and back. Trying to ignore it, I pressed on.

The sun was just settling on the horizon, bathing the sky in a soft lavender. I cleared bushes and moved quickly over small ditches. The scent of chamisa pollen paired with pinon made me inhale deeply. I was glad to be rid of the moldy smell that the chapel seemed to be clutching to. Eagerly, I picked up my pace and began to skid downhill. I knew that the downward slope meant I was getting close to the mines. Rocks and little tendrils of sand followed me down and I nearly tripped once. The ache in my temples grew worse as my heart rate picked up, but I ignored it. In my mind, I could see the girl. My girl. Her hazel eyes looking into mine as if I was all that mattered to her. Her long legs and her soft skin, unmarred and alien in my touch.

I shook my head, needing a clear head for this. I jumped over a bush and continued skidding down the hill. Once on the flat, I stopped to get my bearings. I waited, listening. A coyote yapped and chattered nearby. He was not a threat to me. I heard crickets beginning to sing their night music. Judging the area to be safe, I glanced around myself. To the left, the hill dropped down out of sight. It would be quite the climb, or drop, down. At my right, was the path to the mines. It was rocky and it followed the thin stair that the hillside created. I knew that Letch had seen me leave the mines. He would have moved Rory. Missy would have forced him to if I wasn't there. I turned back to my left and moved to the edge of the cliff.

In the growing dark, I could not see the bottom. I kicked a rock over the side and waited to hear the impact. After about 28 seconds, a short sharp clack could be heard. 'So, it's about 20 feet down. Not bad.' I rolled my shoulders, hissing at the pain my wrist felt at the barest movement. I would have to be fast.

I turned around and crouched. Bracing my hands on the lip of the cliff, I lowered myself down so one leg dangled down. My foot tapped a small rocky lip and I tested it by letting some of my weight rest on it. It didn't break, so I lowered my other leg. I extended my arms so I was practically hanging from the lip. My wrist screamed and fire shot down to my shoulder. My head throbbed.

"Fuck." I cursed out loud. I breathed quietly and rested my other foot on the first ledge I found. In this manner, I picked my way down the cliff. Foot here, hand there, other foot there. I was slow moving and it made my wrist hurt so badly I thought I would scream. I knew it was sprained or worse. After a few minutes, I glanced down. I saw that the ground was visible now. Another minute and I would be down. With a stabilizing inhale, I tried to find a foothold a bit below me. I felt one and moved to put my weight on it, but right has I did so, the little rock protrusion broke under me. Without even time to curse, I fell. The fall felt slow, as if time had been stretched. Then, I hit the ground.

The impact took the breath from my lungs. I wheezed, trying to suck in enough air to moan or shout in my agony. If my head had been hurting before, it was practically unbearable now. I tried to roll to lay on my side, but the lack of breath made almost everything impossible. So, I laid their, gasping in vain for air and fighting a black out. I felt like I was broken inside and that thought scared me. The taste of blood that entered my mouth did nothing to belay that fear.

Moments passed and breathing became easy again. The pain behind my eyes still persisted, but I managed to ignore it enough to stand fully. My whole arm was sore now and my shoulder felt wrong. I ran my hand up and down it, checking for any serious injury. My shoulder joint felt normal, if slightly bruised. My wrist felt out of place, so I assumed it was broken. I couldn't do much without seeing it. The light was fading and I decided to let it wait until later. With a stifled groan, I trudged on. the sand caught my feet every few steps and made me frustrated. The collective pain drove me into madness. I wanted to sleep, badly, and wake up with no more aches or sores. Then, the girl popped into my head. Thoughts of her kept me going.

The night drowned the world. Darkness became a blanket that silenced even the insects. Everything was still. All that could be heard was my harsh breaths and the shifting of the ground under my boots. I cursed and spat as I went, frustration tearing into me. My headache had become my constant companion, beating at me relentlessly while my wrist had gone numb. Still, I walked on. At some point in the night, I began muttering to myself. I wasn't sure when or what I was saying, but it gave me something to keep my mind off of everything else.

Morning came without warning. Or, maybe it did and I was just too unfocused to notice. The clouds had become little fluffy streams of pink and orange and the sky was a velvet gold. If I had stopped to look at it, I would have been stunned. Instead, I stared at the ground before my feet as it, too, turned into molten gold. Winding through the rocks and towering stone walls, I knew I was getting close. The test village was only a few more miles. What did Letch's blonde used to say? 'It's the second hill to the right and straight on 'til morning.' I never understood what that meant.

I wondered if Google would find me first. I heard he was a Watcher, one of the best in our Clans. I laid a hand against a rock, catching my breath for a moment. The rock was already warming from the heat of the sun. I spit on the ground and glanced up. The trail twisted up and away from me. I could see the hill and I knew that it was the crater that led to the village. My heart wanted to soar, but the pain dragged it down. I took a single step forward and was stopped by a shifting sound. I froze on the spot, listening. There it was again. _Shff shff shff._ I stood straight and looked around. I couldn't find anything that was a threat, so I wrote off the sound as a bush scraping against a rock. I turned back around and almost yelped in surprise.

A mutant stood in front of me, with his snake-like eyes narrowed in suspicion. I met his gaze, glaring back at him. I stood about a head taller than him and I was much more broad. This mutant was lean and looked like he would be much faster than I. A minute ticked by, then he spoke. His voice was rough, like he never used it, and it took me a second to understand him.

"You Stabber?" It sounded like he was gargling with gravel. I nodded the affirmative.

"You Goggle?" I asked, breathlessly. He nodded in return, then his eyes trailed up and down my body. He stepped around me, lightly touching my shoulder, back and legs. Then, he returned to my front.

"Yer hurt?" I started to shake my head, but then paused and sighed.

"Yea'. A bit. Nothin' too bad."

"Yer headed ta Jupes? Fer tha' girl, huh?"

"Yea'. Gotta problem wit that?"

"No. Gonna lead ya the rest o' the way. Headin' back tha' way mahself." With that, he turned and began walking. I followed him for about 10 feet before I had to stop. I felt like I was going to collapse all of a sudden. I closed my eyes to the pain in my head and felt myself sinking to the ground. Just before I thought I would fall, a thin arm looped around my back.

"Ya said you weren' hurt." Goggle's voice reached my ears. I chuckled a bit and looked up at him. His face was tight, like he was annoyed, but there was a trace of humour in his tone. He hefted me higher with a strength I didn't think he had in that wiry frame and took a step forward. "Come on, one step atta time. Tha's it." He said, encouragingly. I snorted at him, but did as he said. We continued like this up the hill and into the test village.

The walk seemed longer than it was. We moved at a slow pace with me stumbling and attempting to carry my own weight. Goggle stopped at the edge of the village and bent with me. He helped me sit and lean against an old car. I looked to him, confused and wary. He pointed to one of the houses. It was small and sky blue paint was peeling off of the roof.

"Imma go get Jupe and yer Clan mate 'Meleon. Don' try ta move." And he left, jogging up to the house and disappearing inside of it. I sat there, head and shoulder aching as I tried to stay focused. At one point, I must have drifted off because I awoke to someone shaking me.

"...ber. Stabber! You have to wake up." My head dropped froward onto my chest and I groaned softly.

"Thank God. Stabber, can you hear me?"

"Ah hear ya..." I muttered. I peeled open an eyelid to see Missy kneeling in front of me. Her hand was on my shoulder and her face was drawn with worry. 'Worried about me?' I wondered. Behind her, I saw Chameleon and Jupiter, both watching me silently. Missy placed a hand on my forehead and held it there. I opened both eyes now and watched her. Her mouth was tight and thin as she worked over me. She laid two finger against my neck and waited briefly.

"His pulse is thready." She said over her shoulder. Chameleon knelt next to her and stared at me.

"I'm...fine. Just tired, is all." I tried to tell her, but she didn't seem to hear me. She began touching my shoulder gently, prodding at it. Chameleon was running nimble fingers up and down my spine and speaking in hushed tones to Missy. I sat and let them work, too tired to care. For a few minutes, the two poked at my bruises and scrapes. Missy talked to me, asking me questions about my injuries. I answered them, slurring slightly, and after a moment she seemed satisfied.

Chameleon stood, as did his mate. Missy spoke to Jupiter quietly before turning back to me.

"Can you walk?" I nodded and braced a hand against the car behind me. I rose to me feet, wincing and swaying, but managing to stand unaided. Jupiter came to me at this point and looked me straight in the eyes. I stared back, bristling at his closeness. The leader was only a bit smaller than me, but the dominance he exuded made me nervous. I glanced away, refusing to appear small in his presence.

"You ain't gonna cause trouble, are ya, boy?" Jupiter's voice startled me. I shook my head and met his eyes briefly.

"No."

"Well, good. Does my brother know yer here?"

"No." My answer seemed to appease him and he clapped me on the shoulder, hard. I bit back a cry.

"Come on, then. Let's get you inside 'fore ya pass out." I nodded once and followed him. He led me across the small open space and up to the front porch. Leaping over the steps, he calmly entered the house. Missy came up on my left and went in with me, steering me to a small area with a few couches. She pointed to one and told me to sit, which I did without question.

I sighed contentedly as I sank into the cushions. My shoulder and head were forgotten momentarily as relaxation took over. I couldn't recall anything being so comfortable in my life. Missy left for a minute before returning with a glass of water which she placed in my hand.

"Drink slowly, all right? I'm going to go get some ice and a few bandages." I tipped the glass to my lips as she spoke. The water was cool and it hit my throat and stomach like a mule kick, but I was so thirsty. Once I finished, I was alone once more. I tilted my head back to rest on the couch back. Sitting like this, I could finally breathe easy. I felt as if a large weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Thoughts began to toss around in my head. Thoughts of the Keeper's words and of the war ahead were the most prominent. In the back of my mind, though, were little stray bits of the girl. Elation that I was back where I could keep an eye on her, worry that she might be hurt or emotionally stressed, fear that she wouldn't want me near her. All of these rattled around in my head, preventing me from resting fully.

Then, off to my right, there was a small squeak of the floorboards, announcing someone's entrance. I slid my eyes open and was caught off-guard.

Standing there in the doorway, was the girl. The girl whose mere existence drove me to the hills and back, just so I could see her again. The creature who haunted me and made me feel things I didn't have words for, here she was. I sat there, pulse racing, unsure what to do. Then, she spoke. One simple word, but enough to make my mouth go dry.

"Hi."

* * *

***This is a lullaby that my mum used to sing me as a kid**

**End! Woo wee, partners! That was fun. So, sorry again about not going back to Rory. Next one will be her and we will answer the question that is plaguing all of you chickadees. Is lil Rory a momma? Let's find out! **

**TTFN!**


	12. Adjust

**Disclaimer: I do not own HHE or any of its stuff. Rory is mine, as is the Keeper.**

**I'm back, chickadees! Hope the last chapters were good. Sorry if they weren't. This chapter is back with Rory and still in 1st person POV. I love 1st person. :P**

**Warning: Language and sexual thinkings**

* * *

_Adjusting to a situation can be difficult. All you need to do is have confidence that you will get through it and you will. Believe that you will and you will.- My mother, Jessica._

* * *

I glanced down at the small blue stick, fear and dread settling in my guts, making them roil. I steadied myself with a breath and found the indicator. 'Whatever it is, I will be strong.' I told myself. 'Even if I have to be that..._thing's_ mate, I will not be broken.'

I brought the stick up to my face and saw the colour. My stomach clenched and I thought I would vomit.

I had to sit down. My legs were shaking so badly I thought they would break. I settled with a shaky inhale on the toilet, mind reeling. I put a hand on my stomach, more to settle the nausea than anything. I had to tell Jupiter.

Standing was harder than I thought it would be. It was like a horrible mix between pins and needles and a charlie horse. I unlocked the door, turned the golden knob and swung the door open. The hallway seemed to dark to me as I made my way to the stairs. I moved down them slowly, robotic, the groans of the old wood seeming to have to different note to them. I breathed calmly, trying withhold the emotion that was flooding through me. I turned into the kitchen once I made it to the ground floor. Jupiter was still sitting in the same chair, chin resting on his knuckles and his gaze fixed out the window.

I cleared my throat when I entered. The mutant turned to me, his eyes becoming softer, almost fatherly. Then, the softness was gone, replaced with the hard, cold look that he had during our talk.

"Well?" He asked, his own voice reflecting the unsettled nerves that I had felt. I sat down at the table, tucking a strand of hair behind one ear. I looked into his eyes and spoke quietly.

"Negative."

Jupiter sagged in his chair, the same relief that I felt seemingly flooding through him. I smiled at him, shaking a bit. The tension left the room quickly, with the mutant smiling back at me.

"Good. I would hate ta have ta send ya back afta all ya been through, boyo." I sighed at the nickname. I guessed it was going to stick. Then, I noted, offhandedly, that his speech had gotten worse. I assumed that a lot of emotion made his accent thick and his speech poorer. It was a strange indicator, but I was glad I caught it. It was something that would make living here, however briefly, a lot easier.

"Ya seem relieved, boyo."

"Oh, yes, sir. I am." Jupiter smiled again. Then, he stood, holding out a hand to me. I took it and stood as well. The leader waved his hand at me.

"Go on. Go relax. You deserve it." And, there was the properly enunciated words. I nodded and turned to leave. Before I stepped out the door, I stopped and turned back to him.

"Thank you." I said, sincerely. He looked at me and nodded once. I left the room and went back into the little den where everyone sat.

All heads shot up when I entered. All the eyes were large and expectant. Even Lizard seemed curious. I settled a hand on my stomach and everyone seemed to cringe. Then, I grinned.

"Nope." At that, everyone cheered. Missy and Amber stood up and hugged me tightly, with the former whispering happy words in my ear. When they pulled back, I noticed that the Latina was crying a bit. I wiped her cheeks, smiling at her. Amber ruffled my hair, causing me to brush her hand away.

"So, yer stayin'?" Came a rough growling voice. We all turned to regard Lizard, who had stood away from the wall.

"Yes." I said, my voice becoming a bit cold. The mutant sneered, twisting his face even further. He approached me and Missy held on to my hand, squeezing it. Lizard moved so that we were almost face to face. He was taller than me by a small bit, so I had to tilt my head to lock gazes with him. I noticed, then, that his eyes were an icy balance of blue and gray. They were absolutely stunning. I gulped and met those eyes, not challenging, but not backing down.

"Alrigh' then. But, let me just make one thin' perfectly clear. Ya cause any shit, or hurt any o' my family, I will personally make ya acquainted wit the worst pain ya could imagin' and then I'll marry the two o' ya." He added that last part with a bit of awkwardness. I almost giggled, but then I realized how serious he was. I inhaled deeply and told him I understood.

"Don't expect any trouble out of me. You won't even know I'm here."

"Too late." I flinched at his words. He stayed staring at me harshly for a few more seconds before turning away and leaving the room. I stood there, immobilized. Missy tugged me by the hand. I tried to smile at her. Then, Brenda spoke up from her couch.

"Rory, don't let him scare you, alright?"

I bobbed my head, trying to remain cheerful, but Lizard's warning was stuck in my mind. I sat down on a couch arm and watched everyone interact. I didn't notice that Brenda continued to look at me worriedly, but I did see that everyone was enjoying themselves. I tried to follow suit, letting the threat slip into the background.

* * *

That night, everyone began retiring to their rooms. Brenda wished me a good night and went upstairs where I assumed Lizard slept with her. Amber and Letch left the house and I asked them where they were going. Amber explained that she and her mate lived the house next door, with another mutant I hadn't met yet and Goggle. As they left, I asked Missy where I should sleep.

"I'm a good ground sleeper, if that's what needs to happen." I told her. She waved me off.

"No, no! If we ask Mama, I'm sure there is somewhere you can crash. The couches, maybe?" As she spoke, she took me by the hand and walked me into another small den area. We heard Clyde call her as we walked and she yelled back.

"Be right there, mi corazon*!"

Once we entered the second den, I immediately saw Jupiter sitting on a couch with Mama, the woman who was cooking before, watching a small television. A black and white movie was on and two men fought with swords on the screen. Both of them looked up at us. Jupiter held up a hand and Missy returned the gesture.

"Sorry to bother you, but where do you want Rory to sleep? She can sleep on the ground, she says. I don't mind if she comes over with me, though." Mama scoffed at that. I winced and tucked myself a bit behind the Latina.

"That's fine. Let her . We will get her a mattress in the morning." Jupiter hmm'd in agreement, turning back to the t.v.

"There are some spare blankets an' pillows in the closet." Jupiter said. Missy thanked them both, as did I, and we left back through the way we came.

I followed Missy up the stairs, holding on to the railing as I went. I realized that I had gotten more exercise today than I had all my life. The older woman turned into the room that Brenda had taken me into before, the one with the Dio poster. Clyde was jumping on his bed when we entered. The young boy smiled broadly when he saw his mother.

"Mom, mom! Guess what? Guess what?" He exclaimed, leaping off the bed. Missy held out her arms and knelt. Clyde ran to her and hugged her.

"Yes, darling?"

"Chameleon said that he would play hide and seek with me tomorrow!"

"Oh, really? You don't think it will be too hard?"

"That's what makes it fun!" The boy giggled. Missy smiled and laughed as well. She stood and petted Clyde's hair. I stood in the doorway and waited, not wanting to interrupt. Seeing the tight bond they had was so sweet. The Latina began to rummage through the closet, pulling out a large red blanket and setting it on the bed. Clyde saw me and waved. I waved back, timidly. The child padded up to me and crossed his arms.

"Your name is Rory, right?"

"Yep. And your Clyde?" The boy beamed proudly, uncrossing his arms to rest his hands on his hips.

"Yes, ma'am! Clyde Ignacio Juanito Martinez.*" The long name surprised me. I chuckled a bit at the pride the boy showed. "Do you get to sleep here with me tonight?" I shrugged, not entirely sure myself. Missy approached us, then, with a pillow tucked under her arm. She motioned to the bed.

"Bed time, mister." With a reluctant moan, Missy's son crawled into his bed and pulled the covers over himself. The woman handed me the pillow and blankets. I took them with gratitude. I went out into the hallway to wait for her. I heard her whispering sweetly for a few moments. Then, she told her son goodnight and she came out to the hallway, closing the door behind her. She gave a me a look that was tired, yet caring and tipped her head back towards the stairs.

"Let's go." She said, quietly. We went back down the stairs and out the door onto the porch.

The nighttime sky was a deep, quiet shade of blue-black and I could hear the crickets chirping softly in the distance. Missy beckoned me to her side, which I quickly occupied, enjoying the warmth she put off. She looped an arm in mine and leaned close to my face.

"So, you doing alright?" She asked.

"Of course." I answered, grinning at her. The woman didn't seem convinced.

"No, really. Are you alright?" She stopped walking at that point and turned to me, eyes searching my face. "I know Lizard really spooked you." I nodded slowly. I recalled the look on the mutant's face as he spoke. It chilled me to the bone.

"I'm fine, Missy. He scared me out of my wits, but I know that he is just being protective. I'll just avoid him if I can. I don't mind just laying around the house and stuff." Missy's mouth turned down at the corners. She squeezed my shoulder a bit before turning to walk once more. I trailed her until she led me up to another house. This one was a bit larger, with curtains drawn in the windows and we stepped wearily up the steps to the door. There was a worn out mat on the ground in front of the door that read 'Welcome'. Or, at least, I assumed it said welcome at one point. Now it was just 'wel'. I drew my booted feet across the mat as Missy opened the door.

This house was of a similar format as Jupiter's, but there were less doors lining the hallway and no staircase. On our right, there was a large entry way. It was maybe four men wide and one man tall. Missy turned to me, eyes unreadable, and flicked on a light in the room. Instantly, I spotted a worn sofa against the wall and a single chair in the opposite corner. My companion tossed the blankets and pillows onto the couch and sighed, resting her hands on her hips.

"Well, this is it. Make yourself at home. I'm sorry that it is just a couch, but in the morning, we will get you a real bed." I stood at the edge of the couch, taking it in. There was no dust on it and it seemed comfy enough, so I sat down heavily. The cushions sunk under my weight. It felt so good I almost cried.

"Oh, man, I have not been this exhausted in a looong time." The sentence was mumbled. Missy shook her head with a wry smile before glancing behind her.

"Cham and I are just down the hall, as are Letch and Amber. If you need anything, just holler or come poke us." I giggled at the idea of screaming for someone and Letch stomping in, dressed in pajamas. 'Do you have any idea what time it is?!' I imagined him growling.

"You said someone else lives here with you? Who?"

"His name is Cyst. He's a big dude with a neck brace. You will meet him before tomorrow, I'm sure. Now, get some sleep, Rory. I'm sure your tired." Yawning, I couldn't deny that she was right. I began fluffing the pillow I had selected as being the softest and pulled the blankets up to my waist. The Latina clicked off the light and crossed the hall with light steps. I was alone. Very alone.

The house was silent now. I couldn't hear anything other than the occasional creak of the wood or a chirp of a cricket. I settled into my little nest of blankets, trying to make myself comfortable, but failing miserably. I stared into the darkness for a brief moment before turning on my back and locking into a staring contest with the ceiling. I blinked first, needless to say.

I kicked out one leg, then the other, from the under the woolen cover, trying to find a position that made me relax. Nothing seemed to work. My mind took over at that point. Memories of the past month zoomed through me, once more. I tried to rid myself of them, but to no avail. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to count sheep, but instead I ended up counting how many women Hades must have raped. Switching to another tactic, I tried singing quietly. I succeeded in creeping myself out with 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' and 'London Bridge'.

Deciding to just let sleep come when it would, I laid and focused on breathing deeply and calmly. It did manage to ease the tension from me for a short minute or two, but then my breaths became shuddering gasps as tears began to spill. I cried, silently, stuffing my face into my pillow. Anguish spilled through me, making my loneliness harder to bear. Biting my lip and clenching my hands into fists, I poured everything I had into the pillow. All my anger, my frustration, my hatred, my homesickness; all of it came out at once.

The tears slowed once I began feeling ill. I curled around the pillow and closed my swollen eyes, drained and sick. I drifted in and out of an uncomfortable rest for close to an hour when I heard another creaking sound. This one was in the hallway. The sound was followed by heavy thudding steps that came closer to where I was. Fear took me and I buried my head under the blanket. Breathing through my nose, I waited. The steps got closer, moving into the room. Within seconds, it was at the couch side. Nothing happened for a horrendously long time, then a hand touched my shoulder. I flinched and peeked my head out from under the blanket.

A very large man stood there. His skin looked tight and shiny and hued a sunburnt red. A thick metal brace was set on his shoulders and wrapped around his neck. He was mutated, as well, with similar bumps as Letch and Chameleon. A long barreled shotgun rested in the crook of his arm. I met his gaze, too nervous to say anything. The man was silent for a while before he spoke in a throaty voice.

"S'okay. I'm don't hafta worry bout me. I'm gonna sleep in the chair ta watch over ya tonight." I poked my head out further from my protective cover.

"O-okay. Sure thing. Your house, man." At that, he walked to the chair, sat down and propped the gun up against the wall. I stared at him for a few moments longer before I wiggled back into the couch.

Sleep came soon after that. It was awkward, sleeping with a large mutant watching me, but my eyes found their way closed without my consent. Night slipped on and dreams came to me. They were violent at times, but peaceful in others. Horses galloped on clouds and honey and milk flavoured the air. The scene changed and men shouted, guns cracked, and blood seeped from every pore, but then, it was over.

* * *

Morning was swift, as was noon time. I woke up, rested and feeling airy. Missy was there in Cyst's place, reading a magazine. Once I was awake, we folded the blankets and left the house. Missy told me that I had slept all the way until the afternoon. I was shocked, but I had, sort of, expected it.

We returned to Jupiter's place and we were greeted almost instantly by Clyde, who came practically bounding up to his mother. The two embraced and I saw, behind Missy's son, two other little children. A boy and a girl stood, holding hands and staring at me. It was a bit creepy. The girl's face was crooked, like Pluto's and the boy's skin was a tone I had never seen before.

I waved at them, trying to appear as pleasant as I could. The girl waved shyly back while the little boy ducked behind her. He never took his eyes off of me. At that point, Clyde ran up to me. He grabbed my hand and dragged me over to the two blonde children.

"This is Mercury and Venus! They're brother and sister!" He explained, pointing first to the boy, then the girl. I bent my knees, crouching next to Clyde.

"Hey there, Mercury. Nice to meet you, too, Venus. You guys gonna play a game with Clyde?" The girl, Venus, nodded slowly. She held out a hand, in which she had a small doll. It had pink pigtails and a blue dress with crumbs all over it. She whispered something I couldn't make out.

"What was that, sweetie?" I asked, walking forward in my crouch.

"This is Sprinkle. She is 3 an' a half years old and she likes cookies. Do ya like 'er dress?" Her accent was just as thick as Lizard's so it took me a second to understand what she said. I nodded, grinning, in response.

"It's very pretty. Your dress is pretty, too, Venus." The girl giggled excitedly and ran inside, dragging her brother after her. Missy took her son by the hand and led us both into the house.

Everyone was there that I had met the previous day. Pluto, Brenda, and Lizard were in the living room, already munching on sandwiches. Jupiter was in the kitchen, drinking something out of a mug while Mama cooked bacon in a pan. Amber and Letch were sitting around the table and next to them were two younger people I hadn't met yet.

Sitting at Amber's left elbow was a young man, not too much younger than Brenda. He had a mop of messy brown hair and a stupid grin plastered on his face. He laughed at something Amber said and turned to the woman at his side. She was timid looking, with a small smile and a gaze that never stayed up from her feet for too long. She wore a red hoodie and she kept tugging on the strings. Everyone looked up as we entered.

"Good fucking morning, sunshine." Jupiter directed the comment at me. I pouted and scuffed my foot.

"It's afternoon, Pa." Brenda chirped. The Clan leader just huffed at her and took another sip. Mama served me a bacon, salami, and cheese sandwich*, sitting me next to the young, hoodie-sporting woman. I introduced myself to her and the boy and they did the same in return. Bobby and Ruby told me they were delighted to meet me. In reality, it was more like a 'sup' from Bobby around a mouthful of food and a soft 'nice ta meet cha' from Ruby.

After we ate, Mama insisted that someone take me around the town to get to know the place.

"Can't have the poor dear cooped up, now can we?" She asked to no one in particular. Pluto raised his hand and waved it around like crazy. Mama smiled affectionately and told him he could take me. The large man stood and stepped to my side. It only took him two steps. It looked up at him, expectantly. He smiled that big sweet smile and held out his hand. I took it and let him raise me to my feet.

"Ah'll take ya on tour. Will be fun, I prooomise." I giggled as he tugged me out of the room.

The big mutant took me around the village, pointing out which home belonged to which family member. We passed by a small swing set and a see-saw. I made a mental note to take those mannequin kids off of the swings. They were creepy! Pluto showed me all around the village before stopping me back off at his Jupiter's house. I thanked him, even opening my arms to hug him. The man laughed innocently and picked me up, twirling me in the air before setting me back down. Dizzy, I weaved my way up the steps and into the home.

The rest of the day was spent chatting with the family. At one point, Cyst came in, as did Lizard, but then they left. Ruby and Bobby asked me all about my home while Clyde, Mercury and Venus played cowboys and Indians outside. Missy cooked us dinner that night. Enchiladas were served that were filled with green chili, cheese, sour cream, and all the fixings. Pluto and I ate at least 4 slices each. I hadn't had enchiladas in so long that I had almost forgotten what they tasted like.

When we all dispersed for the evening, Mama drew me to the side. She asked me how I was feeling and I tried to put her worries to rest.

"I'm fine, ma'am. It's just hard to adjust." I told her. Mama nodded and caressed my cheek.

"If'n you ever need ta talk, I'm here. Don't ever think ya can't tell me somethin', ok?" I nodded, thankful. Then, I remembered something.

"Oh, ma'am?"

"Mama." She scolded jokingly.

"Mama, sorry. Do you think that...if I'm going to be here forever, I should try and have what all of them have?" The older woman looked confused.

"Them?" I bit my lip before answering.

"You know. Brenda, Bobby, Missy, Amber. They all love their...mates, regardless of the..."

"Mutations?"

"Actions. I mean, Lizard killed Brenda's sister, mother, and father, right? How can she love him the way she does?" Mama nodded and led me into the living room. It was empty at this point and we sat down on the couch. She turned to face me.

"Listen, Rory. I know it's is confusing for ya and it is hard to understand where Brenda is comin' from, but in their relationship, she has come ta terms with what happened. She ain't happy about it, no. She still cries about it. But, she has learned to see past what happened and see into who Lizard really is. She sees him for the strong, protective man he is. Same with Missy and Amber. Their mates killed their friends, but they show their true colours when they are around one another. In time, you will see that, too."

The small speech was very insightful and it put my mind at ease. I thanked Mama and left to wander over to Missy's little house. I met Chameleon on the way and he walked with me. He was quiet, as he usually was, and I thought back to what the Clan mother said. I tried to see past what Chameleon had done. The kidnapping of Missy was the most prominent in my mind. Missy had told me what happened with him. He had tried to touch her, down in the mines, and she spit at him. He got angry and slammed her onto a table, backhanding her as well. He had hurt her, badly, and he had brought her to Hades. How could she love him?

I thought about everything he had done for her in the past. Caring for her, bringing her little snacks while she was trapped in the mines, protecting her from Hades while risking injury to himself. He was a gentle soul, as she said, and he loved her and her son. I asked him what he felt for her. Chameleon looked at me, his eyes soft.

"I love her, more than anythin' in this world. I love her because she is strong, because she is beautiful, courageous, and kind. If she asked for somethin', I would not sleep until she got it. I would die for her, kill for her. I LIVE for her." I was taken aback by the mutant's words. He stopped walking and looked at me. I stared into his eyes, trying to find any trace of lies or deceit. All I found was truth and undying love. Tears welled in my eyes. I wiped them away and I smiled happily at him.

"Cool." Was all I could say.

When I entered my living room space, I saw that a mattress had been brought in. It was laid on the floor in front of the couch. It was already made up and everything. I flopped onto it, sighing contentedly. I rolled back and forth on it, getting used to the smell. While I reveled in the comfort, Cyst walked into the room. The mutant stood in the doorway until I was done. I glanced up at him, feeling beyond embarrassed. I composed myself, sitting and crossing my legs.

"Evening." I said, trying to hide my blush. Cyst went and sat on the couch, settling into it with a groan. I snuggled under the blankets and turned my back to him. I began to doze, still thinking about what Mama had said. My thoughts quieted as sleep took me, but one question still hung in my mind. 'Should I try to have what they have?'

I woke the next day earlier than I did previously. Cyst was still on the couch, head listed to one side and a small snore escaping him every so often. I rose, not wanting to disturb him and wandered around the house until I found a bathroom. I washed my face and hair in the sink and rinsed my mouth out. I met up with the two other women shortly after and we sat on the porch to talk for a spell. I asked the two about their feelings for their mates and received the same answer from both. They told me that it was hard to get over what they did, but that, in the end, 'who they were' won out over 'what they did'. I snorted, feeling as if my question would forever go without the answer it wanted. The two ex-soldiers asked me what I did before all of this, curious about my life.

"I lived on a ranch with my mother and father and two older brothers." At that, Amber _aww'_d and called me a baby. I flipped her off before continuing. "I was going to school for wildlife biology, but I had a minor in psychology. I like seeing what makes people tick."

We chatted like that for close to an hour when Missy's stomach made it known that it was empty and needed to be filled. We repeated what we had done the past few days. We ate whatever Mama put in front of us, which was french toast and bananas, and we hung around the house. I went outside, just beyond the porch, and sat in the sun. The warmth felt so good on my skin and I decided enjoy for just a few moments.

Brenda came out to join me, saying that she needed to tan. I decided out loud that I should too, which made Brenda stick her tongue out at me.

"Oh, whatever, Miss Naturally-Perfect-Mahogany." I laughed so hard at her words that I snorted. For a moment, it felt as if nothing bad had ever happened to me. We lounged in the sunlight, enjoying the heat. Brenda talked about how much she missed going to the spa. I told her I had never been to one and she was shocked. Poor thing, she called me.

Once the blonde had concluded that she was bronze enough, she took me inside to try on more clothes upstairs.

"We have to find you more clothes! You can't just stay in those ones!" I believed she just wanted an excuse to try on clothes. In that room, we tried on different shoes, shorts, shirts and all manners of hats. I fell in love with a tank top that I stumbled across. In big bold letters across the front, it read: Ride, Love, Live*. The shirt itself was a deep purple and the words were dark green. I kept that on, discarding my old one, and tried on a pair of light blue denim Capri pants. I liked them, though they were a bit girly, so I left those on, as well. I pulled out a simple black bandanna and tied that on tightly. I was beginning to feel myself again.

As we fooled around, I heard someone enter the house. Words were exchanged downstairs and it sounded as if a few people left. I wondered what was happening. I glanced at Brenda, who was now sporting a coral coloured spring dress and a sun hat. I walked past her and looked out the window. I could see, in the distance, a group of people standing and crouching near one of the cars. I managed to make out Missy in the bunch, her skin tone unmistakable, and I thought I saw Chameleon. I watched for a few more seconds before whatever or whoever it was that was leaning against the car stood up. The group began to make its way back in the direction of the house.

I moved to go downstairs, turning back to Brenda. The blonde asked me what I thought of the outfit. I told her it was very pretty. She smiled and traded out the hats. I told her I was going downstairs for snack and she waved me away. Leaving the room, i walked as quietly as I could around to the top of the stairs. The door swung open and I heard Missy talking to someone about injuries and dehydration. I stopped, listening. The next voice I heard was Chameleon's, agreeing with her, followed by more of Missy's. She told someone to 'drink slowly' and then she began jogging up the stairs. I moved out of her way and the older woman caught my gaze as she got closer.

"Is everything...?" I started to ask, but she cut me off.

"You might wanna head downstairs. Go in the den." She said, cryptically. With that, she moved past me. I walked slowly down the stairs, unsure of what I would find. I thought, maybe, it might be one of my friends. My heart was pounding at this point. If one of my friends was alive, then I wouldn't be so alone. I realized, in the back of my mind, that I wasn't really alone here.

Once my foot hit the bottom of the staircase, there was a slight squeak. I flinched, but continued on. I turned around the corner into the den and I froze the moment I saw him.

The man sitting on the couch had his head leaned back, resting on the couch. His eyes were closed, but I could see his chest rise and fall at even intervals. He was wearing a blue jumpsuit, just like I remembered, and his long dark hair was stuck to his forehead and neck with sweat. I took a step forward, thinking to get closer, but the floorboards whined softly. Stopping, I waited for his reaction.

The steel coloured eyes opened, just barely, to rest on me. They pinned me to the spot. I waited. Almost instantly, Stabber sat up, eyes snapping open fully. His left hand clenched into a fist and he swallowed visibly. I mirrored the action before speaking.

"Hi."

Stabber nodded once, ever so slowly, before answering.

"Hey."

* * *

**And, there's another. Hopefully it wasn't too boring or slow. It felt like it was. Review, my chickadees! **

***Mi corazon- My heart/love in Spanish**

***Clyde's name- Long names are common in Mexican families**

***Bacon, salami, and cheese sandwich- This is something that we eat out at the ranch before a big day. Lots of protein and quick to make. And oh so delish.**

***Ride, Live, Love- I own this shirt and it is my baby. Super comfy and I will usually wear it when I go out riding. :) I love this tank top (wife beater, whatever)**


	13. Reunite

**Disclaimer: I don't own HHE blah blah blah. Only Rory and the Keeper. That is all.**

**Hello once more, my darling little chickadees. I bring to you yet another chapter of Watch Me! Now, Rory and Stabber are finally reunited. Will it be a good thing? Emotional? Let us find out! We are still in 1st person POV and still with our lil Rory. Gee up!**

**Warning: Rated T for language **

_"Nothing feels as good as being with the one you are meant to be with. Not even jamoca almond fudge ice cream on a hot day. Well, its pretty close, but you know what I mean." -Me (hunter-strain)_

His voice was just as gravelly as I recalled. Deep and rumbling, like thunder in the distance. I stepped into the room, slowly, one foot at a time. He watched my every move, steely eyes almost unblinking. He sat straight as a board, looking as tense as I felt. Inhaling deeply through my nose, I settled onto the chair next to the couch he sat on. I took in his appearance, seeing as this was the first time I had ever been able to look at him fully and in the light.

The jumpsuit Stabber wore was flithy, as to be expected, and it was torn at the right knee. His arms, exposed from mid-bicep down, were slightly sunburnt and bruised. His hair was disheveled and dusty, giving it a brown tint. His lips were chapped, too, probably from being out in the desert for God knows how long. I noticed that he had not moved his right hand at all though his left hand was tightly clenching. I could see the swelling and redness all around his wrist. I winced. It was probably the injury that Missy was talking about. There was an empty glass on the floor next to his boot. I locked eyes with him once more. He stared back, silent. His expression was one I had not yet seen on his face. It was soft, but his eyes were curious. Almost like he was taking me in, as much I was to him.

"You look pretty banged up." I said, quietly. Once I spoke, Stabber seemed to let out a breath I didn't realize he was holding. He nodded, tiredly. Biting my lip, I dropped my gaze to my own boots. "Did you get in a fight?"

"No." The short reply was followed by a hiss of pain. I looked up and saw him trying to shift.

"Don't!" I pleaded, causing him to look up at me. I reddened and fumbled for words. "I mean, you shouldn't, ah, move too much. Don't wanna make it worse, right?" Stabber's movement lessened and he relaxed back into the couch. I breathed out and glanced back at my feet. I wiggled my toes, watching them bend the leather of the boots. I almost jumped when he spoke.

"I like that shirt." I met his eyes once more. He was watching me, eyes tired and gentle. I blushed and looked away.

"Thank you. I just picked it out."

"It's a nice colour." The conversation felt awkward and I was thankful when Missy and Chameleon came into the room. Missy had bandages in her arms and her mate held a small blue pack in his hands. They settled next to Stabber, with the Latina on the couch and the mutant kneeling on the floor.

"Okay, Stabber, I need to get to your shoulder. Slip out of the top of this." She directed, tapping the jumpsuit. I didn't think I could get any redder than I was before, but I proved myself wrong as the mutant began slipping out of the jumpsuit top. I dropped my gaze, thinking to be modest, but I couldn't help myself from peeking.

His arms rippled with muscle as he pulled them out of the sleeves. Once he was out of the jumpsuit, he removed the white scratchy-looking shirt. He grabbed the hem of the garment and pulled it from the bottom up over his head. The moment I saw his stomach, I thought I would pass out. There were patches of skin missing from there, as well, but I was stuck on his abs. They didn't stand out incredibly, but when he breathed, they tightened. I gulped back a sour taste that made its way into my mouth and I found that it had gone dry. The shirt soon lifted past his chest. That did it.

The mutant's chest was much like his abs. It wasn't ridiculously ripped, but movement made his pectoral muscles tense. His shoulder, chest, and ribs were all missing skin and I could see muscle fibers through them. I couldn't stop my staring. 'That fucking body!' I kept repeating in my mind.

I shook my head and looked away as the shirt left his body completely. Knowing that if I looked up I would be screwed, I focused my attention on my boots once more. I started counting each string that made up the laces. As I fought the urge to stare, Missy began talking to Stabber again.

"I'm going to check if there is any muscle tearing or joint damage. Just let me know if anything I do hurts."

"Fine." Stabber sighed more than said. I lost to my curiousity and looked up. Chameleon had placed the ice pack on his Clan mate's wrist and was holding it on. Stabber was leaning back now and the Latina ex-soldier put her hands on his shoulder. She rolled it in circles. I guessed that she was testing for range of motion. I asked her and Stabber responded with the affirmative. Missy prodded at the joint, making the mutant wince. My shoulder began to ache in sympathy.

"Did that hurt?" The Latina asked.

"A bit. More like bruising."

"It could be that he bruised the bone. The fall might have jarred it." Chameleon piped up. Missy nodded and moved on to Stabber's wrist. Her mate removed the small blue ice pack and stood away to make room. I watched, interested, as the older woman took his hand and wrist gently into her own grip. She tilted his hand down, then up slowly, staring at Stabber's face. The dark haired mutant grimaced and he became a bit pale under the grime on his face. Missy turned to me.

"Rory, get me some water, please."

"Sure." I grabbed the glass at Stabber's boot, careful not to stare now that I had gotten so close to him. I jogged into the kitchen, refilling the glass at the sink and returning to the den. Missy told me to give the glass to Stabber, which I did. He took it, gratitude in his gray eyes and he drank thirstily. Soon enough, the glass was empty once more.

"'Preciate it." He said, voice quiet.

"You're welcome...Stabber." I replied. At the use of his name, his eyes flashed to mine. I couldn't tell what he was feeling right then, but whatever it was, it was intense.

Missy decided to wrap Stabber's wrist and leave it to heal on its own.

"It's not broken, but its pretty badly sprained. Give it a few weeks and it will be good as new." She expertly covered his hand and wrist with the beige coloured bandage, then stood and popped her back. Chameleon stood with her. Stabber thanked Missy, even going so far as to smile at her. The woman smiled back and looked to me.

"Don't let him use that hand, okay, Rory? Get him to drink plenty of water and then take him over to our house and let him sleep. I will bring both of you food." I nodded, amused and a bit nervous at my role in this. How could I, as weak and lost as I was, force a big mutant to do what I wanted? Stabber scoffed at her directions.

"I can take care o' myself, ya know. I AM a medic."

"And yet here you are all banged up and mangled. Let her do her job, alright? Don't give her any trouble. We are going to go update Jupiter." And they left. They left me alone. Alone. With him. He was still shirtless. I was sure my stomach was full of centipedes and rollar coasters, now.

I looked back to Stabber. He sat there, on the couch, looking completely unaware of his effect on me. I cleared my throat and his silver eyes slid to mine. Heat raised in my ears and cheeks. 'Shirtless, toned, alone, all mine.' I shoved those thoughts away. I stood and grabbed the glass of water once more.

"I will...go get you more water. Sound good?" I asked, not even waiting for his response as I turned on my heel and walked out. As the water filled the tall glass, I tried to focus. Stabber was hurt. I was charged with taking care of him. Simple as that.

Back in the den, I handed him the water once more. The mutant sipped at it, throat rolling and convulsing. His Adam's apple bobbed as he drank and it made me aware of my own thirst. Tension seemed to shed off of him. He settled into the cushion, still holding the glass. I waited for him to do or say something, but he never did. I wondered if he had fallen asleep.

"Stabber?" I called, softly. He didn't budge. I felt a bit worried now and I moved over to the couch. I leaned in close, calling him again. Still, he did not move. I brought up a hand, tapping his shoulder and then his eyes snapped open. I jumped and stepped back. He looked right at me, appearing to be absolutely exhausted.

"Wha'?" He slurred.

"Let's go lie you down in a bed, alright? So you can be comfortable." He sat forward, agreeing with me. Standing up, the tall mutant swayed a bit before righting himself. I took a step towards the door, making sure he was following me. He grabbed his shirt from the side of the couch and wandered behind me.

We walked slowly over to the house I had called my own for the last three days. Stabber seemed to rouse as soon as the sunlight hit his eyes. He squinted at it briefly. I stayed by his side, nervous at our closeness. I was ALONE with him. My mind kept running through the definition of Stockholm's Syndrome as I began to feel like I cared a bit for this mutant.

I knew that I shouldn't feel like he meant anything to me. I barely knew him and he was a murderer. By all rights, I should be running for my life, not worrying about him. Then, my mind flickered to what Mama had said. 'True colours appear when they are together.' I thought about what her words. Stabber did appear to be protective when it came to me. He seemed to care about my well-being as a person, not a breeder. Maybe, that was his true colours. 'Maybe, I have a reason to try and lov'...I couldn't bring myself to say the 'L' word. I would try and appreciate his company. No harm in that, I told myself.

Once inside, I led Stabber to my little den/room. I knelt and patted the covers. Stabber came down beside me and fell into the bed face first, dropping the shirt on the floor. I almost laughed at him and helped him shift so that he laid along the length of the bed. The moment he stopped moving, his breathing evened out and he slept. I blew out a breath and pulled the bandanna off of my head. I moved back and sat heavily on the couch, leaving my head garment on the arm. I watched the prone mutant, eyes drifting to his back. It was streaked with dirt and bruised to high hell. A large black and purple mark stretched from his spine to his right shoulder blade and down to the base of his rib cage.

After watching him for a moment or two, I began to feel sleepy myself. It was as if the world had been set right again. It made no sense to me, but I felt like I had been waiting for him. It was almost as if I needed him to be around me or I wasn't safe. My life had been saved by this mutant, this man, and I realized that I did want him around me. I wrote these thoughts off as my tired brain ranting as I drifted off to sleep.

Missy woke me what felt like hours later. She had two plates in her hands, both stacked with what appeared to be lasagna. I took a plate, thanking her, and glanced down at Stabber. He was still face down, the way I left him. Missy shook her head with a snort and crouched by his head. She laid the plate down and slipped her hand by his neck. After a moment, she pulled away and rolled him onto his back. She began prodding at his shoulder again and at his ribs.

"Rory." I looked up at Chameleon's voice. The mutant seemed to be ever present when Missy was around. He gestured at me to come closer. I left my food on the couch and met him in the hallway. The tall bald mutant moved me out of earshot of his mate and looked me intensely. I stared back, worried and wary.

"Yes...?" I asked him. His incredibly light blue eyes looked a mix between worried and understanding.

"Are you alright? You seemed very tense when Stabber showed up."

"Oh? Y-yeah, I'm feeling fine. It's just a bit of a shock to see him again. I feel like everyone expects me to be happy to see him and just fall into this...routine. All of you love one another and its so casual to have see you all kiss and live a normal life. I don't see that with me and Stabber." Chameleon's eyes looked almost hurt at that. "No, no! I mean...I like him. Well, I don't know if I do. I feel like this is going too fast."

"Too fast? You've been with us for a month, Rory. You have known Stabber that long." The mutant seemed puzzled.

"I mean, this normalcy. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner like nothing is wrong. I'm in a clan of mutants who kill and rape like there it's a family game night and everyone just eats eggs and bacon like nothing is wrong. Now, I love y'all, but it feels like some sick nightmare. I don't know how to react. I don't WANT to just have everyone act like there isn't something huge here. It's like, why is everyone so OKAY with all of this?" My voice had raised a bit and, at the end of my sentence, my head began to spin.

"Whoa, head rush." I said as I slid down the wall to sit in a heap on the floor. Chameleon knelt with me and took my wrist in his hand. For a few seconds, he didn't do anything, then he let my arm go.

"It's our life. That's why." I looked up at him.

"What?"

"We do not see it as weird or different because it is what we know. Stabber will probably have a hard time, too. The reason we all appear to be 'fine' is because we don't want to scare you. We have done this with each of our 'normal' counterparts so we know that you need a bit of normalcy to make settling in easier. Do you understand?" I let his words sink in, still blown by the eloquence he always seemed to exhibit.

"Yeah, I think I'm starting to." Chameleon nodded and held out his hand. With his help, I stood and we both went back into the den. Missy was still leaning over Stabber, but now he was awake. I was worried that my voice had woken him and that heard what I said. The steel gray eyes were watching the older woman as she worked. When we entered, Missy looked up at us.

"Everything ok?" She asked, looking to her mate. He nodded, eyes hard.

"Yes. I was just making sure Rory was doing alright. She seemed a bit heightened." I smiled at him as I sat.

I shoveled the lasagna into my mouth as I watched Missy and Stabber's interaction. They seemed to be discussing his injuries again. The hispanic woman was convinced that he had a hairline fracture and the mutant was assuring her that he was just stiff. They went back and forth about it, Missy becoming frantic and Stabber, frustrated.

They continued on like this long enough for me to finish my food. I stood and walked out of the room. Entering the kitchen, I placed my plate in the sink, stretched and walked back. The two of them had settled on a muscle tear and were now icing Stabber's shoulder.

After 15 minutes of so, Missy and Chameleon left, leaving the ice pack with us and instructions to ice his wrist and shoulder every quarter of an hour. I saulted them playfully and then I was alone again with the large silver-eyed mutant. He cleared his plate almost as fast as I did and I took it to the kitchenette as well. Once I returned, he was leaning against the couch. I sat down on the bed by his feet and stared at his boots.

"Wha' are ya lookin' at?" He asked me. I pointed at his boots without looking up.

"Your boots."

"Yea', I can see that. Why?" I sighed and decided that, if we were going to be doing this whole 'living together' business, that I should at least come clean.

"I'm too nervous to look you in the face." There was silence. The quiet was so total that I could hear the kids playing outside and a bird chirping. I stayed the way I was until I could no longer bear the suspense. My eyes drew themselves up to Stabber's. Where my gaze was curious, his was shocked. More like disbelieving. My own stomach formed a pit and I hunched over my knees, feeling like I had done something wrong. Then, as I began to despair, Stabber's face changed. It became...understanding.

He sat forward, ignoring his injuries, and came towards me. I sat still, waiting to see what he would do. What he did do was something that surprised me.

Stabber hugged me.

His strong arms wrapped around my shoulders and pulled me to his bare chest. His skin was incredibly hot, almost to the point of being uncomfortable. I pulled my hands up to rest on his shoulders and I leaned my forehead on his collarbone. I felt uneasy, but content, in a way. The mutant held me like this for a good while. I could feel him shaking a bit. Whether from anger, or strain from exhaustion or some unnamed emotion, I didn't know. When he spoke again, his chest rumbled. It reminded me of when I first was this close to him.

"I don't want ya ta be afraid of me, Rory. I could never hurt ya'. I..." He trailed off and pulled away. I faced him, reading the emotions that played on his messed up face. I could see he was telling me the truth. He reached up to my face and wiped the tears that I didn't realize were spilling. I noticed, then, that he was using his bandaged hand. I moved away and stammered.

"You idiot." He looked at me, hurt in his eyes. "You're using your injured hand." The mutant chuckled lowly, and dropped his hand. He moved back, eyes never leaving me. I picked up the ice and scooted close until I was nearly in his lap. I took his hand gingerly and laid the little blue square on his wrist. I felt different, now. His words made my uneasiness vanish. I felt...at home here with him.

"Funny how you're takin' care of me now." I laughed, meeting his gaze with humour instead of wariness or fear.

"Yeah, funny. I owe you."

"For?" He knew what I meant. I answered him anyways.

"Saving me. Caring for me. Lov..." That word choked me again. I silenced myself and held the pack on his injury. We went quiet for a long time.

On and off, I iced his wrist and shoulder. We barely spoke, but there was an understanding between us. It was a mutual respect for each other's emotional boundry. I tried to keep my mind on happy things while I worked over him. He dozed once or twice and I busied myself with picking up the house and washing the dishes while he was out.

While I scrubbed at a particularly stubborn stain on a bowl, Stabber had come up behind me. I hadn't heard him through all of my cursing, so when he leaned against the counter I nearly leapt out of my skin.

"Fucking Christ, Stabber! Don't do that." I laid a hand on my chest to try and calm my wildly beating heart. The large mutant apologized and watched me. I picked up the dish once more, but paused before starting up again. "What?" I asked.

"Nothin'. I just want ta watch you."

"You...want to watch me...clean dishes?" I repeated. Stabber nodded once. I snorted a short amused sound and went back to cleaning. The cursing resumed once more. Under my breath, I damned the dish to oblivion.

"God damn stupid mother fucking piece of asswiping scum dish! Be clean, damn you!" Stabber sat back, observing my aggression towards the accursed table ware. I stopped, frustrated, and looked at the mutant. His face was calm and his eyes were cool and calculating as ever. His arms were crossed, with his injured one resting on the other. I set the dish down and rubbed my neck, sore and ticked. Stabber stood from the counter and touched my elbow lightly.

"Don't stress so much." The contact between us was sudden, but not unwelcome. I nodded in agreement and turned to him. I looked up at him, our height difference making me reel momentarily.

"Geez." I muttered.

"Wha'?" He asked, cocking his head.

"You're fucking tall."

"Yea'." I stood on my tiptoes, trying to meet his eyes at their level. The mutant must have been at least 6 inches taller than me. I failed, dropping back onto the flats on my feet. Stabber studied me as I did this. He waited until I was done trying to be taller than I was, then he chuckled.

"What?" I questioned, miffed.

"Yer lookin' me in the face." I was. I felt strange, kind of a lumped feeling between elated and pitiful.

"Yeah, I guess I am." We watched one another for a long while. I fought the want to be close to him once more. I turned back to the sink and picked up a plastic cup. I filled it with water and handed it to Stabber.

"Drink. You need to stay hydrated." He did so, his eyes never wavering from me. After four large gulps, the cup was empty. I filled it again and he took it, draining it once more. For a third time, the cup was filled. This time, I drank from it, long and slow. My mouth had been so dry for so long that the water might as well have been the gods' nectar. I breathed deeply once I finished and leaned over, relishing the drink.

"Oh my god, I love water." I muttered, giggling at myself. Stabber shook his head at me. I pouted and handed him another glass. "Drink."

**Done with 13. Damn...I feel like this was shit. Boring and stuff. I might go back through this and trim it up. What do you think? Please, let me know. This is bugging me. But, I am glad that Rory and Stabber are finally getting closer. :) And ha! Shameless half-naked Stabber insert. Shameless. I did enjoy writing that. I did. Truly.**

**TTFN.**


End file.
